The Best Laid Plans
by Obvious Ghost
Summary: Who would try to unite the leaders of Teams Rocket, Magma, and Aqua? And why? Can a plan be so perfect that it traps its creators? It's not just about money and power anymore. These criminals are after something much, much bigger.
1. Musketeers

A man stood beside a window. Gazing out over Lilycove City, he readjusted his wide-brimmed brown hat. It never quite fit, but that didn't matter.

"Doctor Cyprus?" Turning, the man saw a young receptionist calling to him. "The meeting is starting."

He smiled briefly. "Thank you." Leaning heavily on an old hickory cane, he made his way down one of the grand hallways of the Cove Lily Motel.

Pausing before a half-open pair of doors, he made sure his outfit was exactly the way he'd planned it to be. Slipping on a pair of thick-framed glasses, he hobbled into the conference room.

Two other men were seated at a large table, and they glanced up to see him enter. One fiddled with a large pair of dark sunglasses, while the other casually dusted off a pristine business suit.

The newcomer recognized both men immediately, but said nothing.

Slowly lowering himself into an open chair, the man coughed, adopting a low, scratchy voice. "I was informed that this was a private meeting."

"As were we." The man in sunglasses was speaking in a deep monotone. "It appears that our employer had other plans."

"He's not our employer-" the third man was cut off by the swinging doors. A young Trainer stood at the front of the room, smiling faintly, as if amused by some private joke. His short brown hair framed a thin, angled face; he couldn't have been more than twenty. A plain black shirt was offset by a red belt, which only carried two Pokeballs.

"Gentlemen," he began. "I do apologize for being less than... honest regarding this meeting." Walking steadily to the table, he grinned more widely at the confused men. "Doctor Cyprus, Professor Sumac, and Mr. Poplar, was it?"

"What's the meaning of this-" sputtered the first man, but he was interrupted by the young Trainer.

"My name is Fell," he said. "I assure you, I'm being completely honest, so... perhaps you would be willing to do the same?" He pointed to the man wearing sunglasses. "After all, your reputation precedes you, _Giovanni_."

Casting off the now-useless sunglasses, Giovanni quickly got to his feet. "This is an outrage," he hissed.

Fell raised his eyebrows. "Oh, please; don't tell me you didn't recognize each other?" He turned to the other two. "I suppose, if it would help, I could call you 'Maxwell' and 'Archibald'?"

Stunned, Maxie removed his hat with trembling hands. For his part, Archie simply stared at Fell without changing expression. "Well, well," said the seafarer quietly. "I'm impressed, boy. How did you find us?"

"You might say I'm gifted with _foresight_."

Giovanni reached to a Pokeball on his belt, still fuming. "This is trivial," he said through clenched teeth. "Now tell me why you've gathered us here, or-"

"Or what?" Fell didn't blink. "The authorities are still hunting each one of you, and we're in the most populous city in Hoenn. Kill me, and you'll never make it out."

Maxie kept quiet, but was holding a Pokeball of his own underneath the table, out of Fell's sight. If he could release Crobat quickly enough, he might be able to escape through the window before anyone-

"You just here to threaten us, boy?" said Archie calmly. "Gonna take us in? Lock up the big, bad bosses and save the day?" A dangerous gleam shone in his eyes. "'Cause I can promise you, that ain't gonna happen."

Fell held up his hands, taking a few steps back. "Relax. I'm here for something else." He paused, smiling faintly again. "In fact, I need your help."

All three leaders hesitated. Giovanni sat back down, glaring at the Trainer. "Go on."

"You headed the most successful crime syndicates the world has ever seen." Fell looked to each leader in turn. "The Pokemon League is a treehouse club compared to the plans and operations of your teams."

"Hardly," Maxie blurted out. The other bosses gave a start, as if they'd forgotten he was there. "Every major attempt to gain power in recent years- by _any_ team- has met with failure."

Fell grinned again. "But think back to what you've done, what you've accomplished." He faced Giovanni. "You were able to set up _three _different bases in the most powerful cities of Kanto, and without anyone noticing for months. Your direction and planning led to the complete takeover of Goldenrod City." Turning to the rivals, he lowered his voice. "And you two nearly brought all of Hoenn to its knees- and that while you were _fighting each other_. Just imagine- what might you do if you work together?"

"What, indeed?" Giovanni was scowling. "What's the point? You haven't given a reason that we should agree to this foolish venture."

"No vision," mused Fell to himself. "None at all." He casually pointed his thumb at Giovanni's startled face. "I've studied your workings in Kanto. Every plan was perfect; you moved grunts from city to city without wasting a second. But you had no _vision_. Stealing TMs? Selling fossils? If I wanted to learn from the Hexagon Brothers, I'd move to Orre."

Maxie glanced at his archenemy. Of course he'd considered the idea of joining forces, but would never admit it. "This isn't as simple as you might think, Trainer," he said. "You can't just throw the three crime rings together and expect everything to fall into place."

"Believe me, I know." Fell was still smiling, but his expression became harder, somehow more angry. "Planning is everything, isn't it? Strategy and preparation are essential. For example, actually having a plan to control a legendary Pokemon once it's been encountered..."

Archie pounded his fist on the table. "Don't you mock me, boy!" he yelled.

Fell sneered. "Both of you tried to take the power of _mythical beasts_, without a single backup plan in case your precious Orbs failed you. I've seen Berry Blender groups that studied more!"

A brilliant blue flash lit up the room. When the light faded, a slender, steel-gray Mightyena was growling in front of Archie.

For the first time, Maxie saw a glimmer of fear in Fell's eyes. But it passed quickly. "If you insist," he said with a laugh. "Teleport."

A Kadabra materialized out of the air beside him.

Archie shook his head. "A Psychic type, to fight a Mightyena? You're out of your league, kid!"

"We'll see." Fell dipped his head. "Are we ready, then?"

With a snarl, Archie called out, "Faint Attack!" The Mightyena took off running in zigzag patterns, hoping to confuse its enemy. Kadabra simply watched, not taking its eyes off the Pokemon for a second. Then it simply vanished.

The Mightyena skidded to a halt, confused. Kadabra reappeared behind him, free hand glowing with an electrical pulse of energy. The ThunderPunch connected directly to the great dog's side; with a startled yelp, it dashed off to regroup.

"Hey, what's all this?" Archie shouted. "You gotta tell him the commands! Ain't a battle if he's on his own!"

"He's not." Fell kept concentrating on the battle, brow furrowed. "Kadabra is following my commands to the letter."

Looking back to the fight, Archie was shocked to see his Mightyena stumbling in circles, clearly Confused. The Kadabra must've used a Confuse Ray, or maybe-

A sudden Fire Punch knocked Mightyena onto its side. Just like that, it was over.

Archie gaped, recalling the Dark Pokemon to its ball, as Fell quietly repeated, "Teleport." The Kadabra straightened, rolling its shoulders, and vanished again.

The fight had lasted less than three minutes. Shocked, Archie quickly returned to his chair as Giovanni finally broke the silence. "So, what's your play?"

No longer smiling, Fell raised both arms in a grand gesture. "Vision and planning, like I said. The biggest job the League's ever seen. A chance to be remembered, forever."

Maxie sighed. "Yes, that's all well and good, but what would we actually _do_?"

"Is it money?" Giovanni interrupted. "Power? A takeover?"

Fell took a deep breath. "Bigger than that. Coordinate all three teams. Take any research, any resources we need. Distract the Hoenn and Indigo Leagues. And then..." He smiled again. "Then we find Mew. We find Mew, and we take it down."


	2. Liars

**Author's Note**: It's worth mentioning that I'm not going to have any interaction with Generation 4 or 5. Nothing against them- I thought Diamond was a blast, and I've heard great things about Gen 5- but I simply don't know enough about them to make a good story. So I'm leaving them alone.

Note to self: come up with more unique story titles. There's like fifty different ones called "The Best Laid Plans".

Thanks for reading, guys. I know I only have one review (thanks, and I'll try to keep it interesting), but I know there's been a few more views. So, you know, first steps.

( )

( )

Silence, but not from respect or fear. Simple confusion.

Giovanni was the first to laugh. "Kill Mew? Impossible."

Fell rubbed his forehead. "No, I very much doubt that Mew can be killed. I simply want to defeat him."

"Why?" said Archie. "I don't remember Mew doin' nothin' to humans. Why go after him?"

He had expected fear, or perhaps excitement. Instead, these men were looking at him with indifference, even boredom. That wasn't good. "What do you know about Mew?" said Fell, trying not to appear nervous.

Archie leaned forward. "That ain't a good sign; when we know more than the guy who's pullin' the job." He shook his head, grinning. "Mew's the big daddy. You never hear this, kid? He's got the DNA code or whatever for every Pokemon. All of 'em."

"He's their ancestor," said Maxie. "They say he can appear as any Pokemon. Or simply vanish, if he wants." He glanced warily at Giovanni. "Many have tried to capture him."

"That's where you're wrong." Fell began walking around the table. "No one has ever _really_ tried."

Giovanni was staring at the center of the ceiling, with no obvious emotion in his expression. "Of course they haven't; and now, the young Trainer will swoop in and show the world how _easy_ it is to track down a legend. We should have been taking notes."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Fell braced his hands against a windowsill. With his back to the table, he looked out at the ocean outside of Lilycove, dark and muddled underneath a cloudy sky. "Not easy. But not impossible. Isn't it _strange_, that for all of Mew's secrets, it seems that no serious expedition has been undertaken?"

"Insolent!" Giovanni barked. "Any information you DO have about Mew is thanks to the efforts of Team Rocket! Don't tell ME that no effort has been made!"

"Ah, of course." The gently rising waves, only a few dozen yards from the building, were too distracting. Fell turned his attention back to the red-faced Giovanni. "How could I forget? Guyana, South America, wasn't it?"

The Rocket leader snorted. "Don't expect me to be impressed, fool. Cinnabar is practically a museum. Anyone could slip past a few guards in the mansion."

Fell swallowed. He was losing their respect, if he ever had it. Trying not to let his voice modulate, he continued. "Regardless, the mission was extensive. Scientists and explorers, setting out to uncover the mysteries of the famous New Species Pokemon... so my question for you is this." He cocked his head to one side, genuinely curious. "Why did you stop?"

"Stop? Ha!" Giovanni smiled. "We didn't stop; we _succeeded. _Mewtwo is proof of that. He held more power than Mew ever did!"

"And look where all that power went. A cave, hidden away beneath Cerulean City- while Mew still roams the land, as free as ever."

A loud yawn from Archie interrupted Fell. "I'm not terribly interested in the mythology of your continent," said Maxie irritably. "If your only purpose for this meeting was to regale us with stories-"

"Apologies." Fell finally sat down, looking to each leader in turn. "The point is, individuals attempting to locate Mew have failed. Large-scale operations have simply given up; distracted by new projects," he glanced at Giovanni. "Each has simply lost motivation."

Dismissing Giovanni's fuming, Maxie sighed. "And? What's the point of all this?"

"Mew is using his Psychic power to push them away."

Archie threw up his hands. "You keep talkin' like you think we'll be surprised by everything you say, boy. But it ain't happenin'. Who cares if Mew's keepin' to himself?"

Fell smiled again, but was racking his brain desperately. If he couldn't hold their attention now, everything would be lost. "Mew is more than just power. You asked why I wanted to defeat him? Well, the truth is... Mew is a symbol. He's the untamed Pokemon world, never fought or captured- and that's why the people of Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn don't fear anything."

He had them. Archie settled down, leaning forward, and Fell could see a glint in Giovanni's eyes. "Proving that Mew can be beaten," he continued, "wouldn't simply etch a place in history for us. It would show the world the power of Rocket, Magma, and Aqua. And then-" he held his hands out, as if encasing the earth, "-the rest would follow. When people are afraid, they're willing to give anything to feel safety. Power, money, anything you want, but it's not the point. Defeating Mew is the climax of civilization. You might even say, our destiny."

Five minutes ago, they might have laughed at such a dramatic statement. But now, silence reigned. Fell widened his eyes, now whispering. "_And Mew knows this._ It's why he hides in the jungle, turns invisible, disguises himself, and flees to the bottom of the ocean. He knows that it's almost over."

The four men barely took a breath. It was as if Fell himself was completely entranced by his own words, as well as the others. Finally, Maxie rose, nodding curtly to Fell. "Team Magma will contact you shortly with our decision." He donned his hat and strode to the door.

Archie waited for him to exit the room, then grinned from ear to ear. "That's a yes from the firebrand, kid. Hey, count me in, too." Reaching into his pocket, he flipped a small, gleaming object over the table. "Keep that on ya, and no Aqua sailor gives ya any grief- or they'll answer to me."

The Deepseatooth was bone white, with the rounded 'A' symbol of the Aquas carved into one side. Fell carefully placed in a pouch on his belt, looking to Giovanni as Archie walked to the exit.

"I expect to be fully informed of the details of this 'plan'," the leader hissed.

Fell nodded briefly. "Of course."

Giovanni put on his sunglasses, frowning. "I must warn you, boy," he said quietly. "Be prepared for anything. Trouble always follows missions such as this."

"I told you, sir." Fell didn't take his eyes off of the Rocket leader. "Preparation is my specialty."

He looked back to the window as Giovanni departed. For a moment, the room was quiet.

Sighing, Fell turned to the Kadabra sitting cross-legged on the table. "I think they bought it."


	3. Whispers

Note: Easily the longest chapter so far. Sorry this one took so long to post; updates should be a lot more consistent now. Reviews would just be swell.

[]

The S.S. Tidal had nearly completed its semi-annual trip to Kanto. The ship's red hull cut through the clear waves, bumping the occasional lazy Tentacool out of its path. A majestic, clear sky was filled with Wingull and Pelipper; several of the ship's passengers gasped as, in the distance, a roaring Gyarados reared its head out of the water.

Fell stood near the ship's bow, leaning against the railing with a smile.

"It's not that they were foolish, exactly," he said as a burst of glittering water cascaded over the rails. "Their disguises were good, but the names were over-the-top. Anybody would have been suspicious."

Kadabra stood beside him, peeking through the lower opening of the rails. [All the same, it was frightening,] he said, speaking directly to Fell's mind. [How did you keep from showing fear?]

"This whole operation... I'm trying to make them believe me. I told myself it was just a game. If they can't tell what I'm thinking, I win." Fell tilted his head back, taking in the sunlight. "I've always been good at poker," he joked.

Kadabra's complete silence caused Fell to laugh nervously. "Anyway, what'd it look like from your end?"

Concentrating, Kadabra recalled the impressions he'd received during the conversation. [Both Hoenn leaders were sincere.] The images he sent to Fell seemed vague and hazy. [They may have further plans, but they are willing to help you.]

"Excellent," said Fell, retrieving a pair of red-tinted sunglasses from his pocket. Slipping them on, he asked, "And the final member of our merry crew?"

Kadabra hesitated. [Giovanni is... there's something wrong.] He closed his eyes, completely focused. [I sense there is something false in him. But I can't... I just-]

Fell sighed. "We need more than that. A lot more."

[I know.] The Pokemon's response was curt and angry.

After a few seconds, Fell stammered, "Well, it's fine." He absentmindedly reached for a Pokeball on his belt.

[Don't.] He froze, fingers only inches away from the capsule's surface.

"I- I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I wasn't thinking- I just-"

Kadabra held up the spoon. A memory appeared in Fell's mind. A vivid, painfully bright memory.

[]

_"You can't even use Teleport?" Fell was shouting. He was standing in the middle of a Pokemon center, red-faced, holding a Pokeball in his right hand. "I thought you'd be useful for that, at least- but you don't even know it!"_

_Kadabra was huddled in the corner, trembling. He couldn't talk in a psychic link yet, but Fell's mind could sense bursts of frustration and pain. Every so often, he would attempt Teleport again; but he could only appear a few yards away, and even then, the spoon dropped to the ground._

_"What good is a Pokemon who knows Teleport-" Fell pointed at the spoon, as Kadabra rushed to pick it back up, "-if it can't even take its Trainer with it?!"_

_One of the nurses approached him, quietly asking him to calm down. "Fine! Whatever!" Fell shouted, hefting the Pokeball. "Kadabra, return!"_

_Kadabra froze, shoulders hunched so Fell couldn't see his face. "Well?" he demanded. "I said, return!"_

_The Pokemon looked up with bright yellow eyes. His first coherent word flashed through Fell's thoughts._

_[Confusion.]_

_It had taken him four days to recover._

[]

Shaking, Fell grabbed the railing to steady himself. "That was a long time ago," he said with a slight tremor in his voice. "I shouldn't have- look, that's not who I am anymore, alright?"

Kadabra stared at him.

He frowned. "I'm sorry, okay? Why can't you believe that?"

The Pokemon's eyes took on a faint yellow shine. [When you spoke to the leaders- during your 'game'- you didn't ask me if I wanted to battle. You simply said-] a burst of anger was directed to Fell's mind. [-'_Teleport'_.]

Fell was silent for a moment. Then, removing his sunglasses, he knelt to Kadabra's eye level. "I know this is tough," he said quietly. "And I know I haven't been the best Trainer. But if we want to see this through... well, you have to trust me."

He took a deep breath. "And you need to do what I tell you."

The Pokemon's expression was unreadable. [Fine,] said Kadabra eventually. [I'll do what you said.]

A bright, silent flash of light lit up the ship's deck. When Fell blinked the spots from his sight, Kadabra was gone.

[]

"There's no running from a Trainer battle!"

Some of the passengers laughed at the overused saying. The Cooltrainer stood near one of the cabin doors, smirking and leaning slightly to one side. The all-red jumpsuit that most of his class seemed to favor shimmered in the bright sunlight.

Fell gritted his teeth. He'd been searching for Kadabra for an hour now; the Psychic probably hadn't Teleported any farther than the cabins below deck. Still, he wasn't in the mood. "Maybe some other time," he said, turning away from the challenger.

"Aw, come on!" The Cooltrainer complained. "That's no fun!" A few Sailors added their voices to the mix. Before long, it seemed like everyone on the deck was yelling for a battle.

_Why not, _thought Fell._ Maybe it'll take my mind off things._ He sighed and reached for a Pokeball. "If you insist!" he called out.

Waving off the cheering passengers, the Cooltrainer stepped forward. "Two each," he shouted over the noise. "Ready?"

The ship's crew moved everyone away from the center of the deck, leaving a wide space for the battle. Both Trainers stood with their feet planted, holding a Pokeball in an outstretched arm. Fell nodded.

The Cooltrainer grinned and released his first Pokemon. A deep-blue Dragonair appeared, soaring out of the capsule and twirling its lithe form. Flying over the heads of the passengers, it circled the deck, stretching its pure white wings and letting the sun glint off of its horn.

Fell tried to ignore the display and focus on his own strategy. Keeping an eye on Dragonair, he tossed the Ball in front of him. The capsule opened, and a blue flash of light sped to the ship's deck, only a few feet off the ground.

The light materialized into a Sableye, twitching and glancing around. The clear gemstones in its face magnified the sunlight, causing Fell to squint and shield his eyes. It seemed uncomfortable in the harsh light, and darted toward the shadow of the Cooltrainer.

"Dragonair, use-" he yelped as he saw the Ghost Pokemon running straight for him. The Dragonair, seeing its master in danger, flared its wings out and swooped downward.

Too late, Fell realized his lack of concentration. "Sableye, get out of the way!"

Still flying, the Dragon spewed blue fire from its mouth. Brilliant flames exploded towards Sableye, who cried out and rolled to one side. The Ghost stood, shaken from the Dragon Rage attack, and faced its opponent. Without an order, it readied a Shadow Ball, cradling the pulsating black sphere between its clawed hands.

_I can't let this battle get away from me_, thought Fell. "Sableye! Use Confuse Ray!" he directed.

Sableye spun, watching him with crystal eyes, then let the attack dissipate. It raised its claws and threw forward a near-invisible pulse of energy, which spun in a spiral pattern through the air. The Dragonair gracefully flew out of the way, descending to the deck of the ship.

"Ice Beam!" ordered the Cooltrainer. The Dragon's horn glowed blue, then launched a blinding white bolt that made the air crackle and hiss.

"Detect," said Fell. Ignoring him, Sableye conjured another Shadow Ball, hoping to overpower its opponent's attack. The Ice Beam broke through; Sableye stumbled backwards, visibly weaker.

Fell swore under his breath. "Fake Out," he called, trying to buy time. Sableye appeared to blur, quickly racing towards the Dragonair, then swung a punch filled with Dark energy. The Faint Attack connected, but didn't seem to faze the Dragon, who reared its head back.

The Cooltrainer smiled triumphantly. "Thunderbolt." Lightning gathered on the point of the Dragonair's horn, then exploded towards Sableye. The Electric attack slammed into the Dark Pokemon, knocking it onto its back before Fell could order a counterattack.

He was stunned. The Sailors and travelers were clapping, celebrating a successful, entertaining battle. Fell stared down at the Pokeball, letting a few seconds pass before he called Sableye back. He had known the Pokemon to have some issues with his battle style, but this... he shook his head, turning to leave.

"Hey!" The smirking Cooltrainer was still watching him. "We're not done." He was holding a Great Ball in his hand, having already recalled the Dragonair.

Barely thinking, still fuming over the loss, Fell automatically grabbed his final Pokeball and threw it.

After the usual flash of light, a young Pichu crouched on the ship's floor, cautiously looking up at the crowd of spectators. Slowly, unsure, it turned back to Fell and made eye contact.

Fell suddenly couldn't move. Those eyes were watching him, not like Kadabra's in anger or hurt, but simple confusion. Fear.

_Like a child, searching for his parents..._

Before the Cooltrainer could send out his next Pokemon, Fell had recalled the Pichu. As the disappointed whispers filled the air, he looked at the Cooltrainer and blinked. "The match is over," he said. "I surrender."

Slowly turning, he walked toward the stairs that led to the lower levels.

[]

The ship was scheduled to arrive in Kanto the next morning. The last night at sea, and Fell couldn't sleep.

He sat in the same place he'd talked to Kadabra, near the bow of the ship. Looking up at the stars, he thought through the day's events.

_Can I really do this? _he wondered._ Can I lead these criminals? My own Pokemon won't even listen to-_

A sudden noise startled him. Spinning, he saw a young girl approaching, who was holding up her hands. Her hair had a tinge of blue, and she wore a white jacket that almost looked like a lab coat.

"Wow, sorry," she said in a whisper. "Didn't mean to scare you, jumpy."

Fell rolled his eyes and looked out over the ocean. "You didn't. I just wasn't expecting anyone else out here."

The girl grinned. "Well, neither was I. So there." She stuck out her tongue, sitting down next to him.

"Real mature, kid." Fell shook his head, amused.

She swung her legs over the side, nearly getting them stuck between the railing and the ship. "You should see my friends. They're way worse than me, and we're the same age."

"Uh-huh." Fell absently nodded, still looking at the horizon.

The girl frowned. "Thirteen," she said, even though Fell hadn't asked. "That's how old we all are."

He tilted his head back, exasperated. "That's great, kid." Just for a second, he closed his eyes.

"Those Pokemon weren't yours, huh?"

Fell's eyes snapped open. "How'd-" The girl was watching him with a curious expression.

"D'ja steal 'em?" she asked. There was no accusation or excitement for gossip in her tone. She simply asked, as if discussing the weather.

Fell's mouth was dry. "No, I didn't steal them," he said angrily.

She cocked her head to one side. "Then... well, how come he didn't listen to ya?"

He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he wanted to tell someone. And this random girl was asking, after all. "The truth is," said Fell slowly, "Sableye's just mad at me right now. But you're right; I'm holding onto the Pichu for another Trainer. He's been away for a while, and I'm keeping the little guy safe till he gets back."

"Wow." Fell wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic, or if she was genuinely interested in his story. "So where's that Kadabra?"

"You've seen him?"

The girl gently kicked the side of the ship. "Well, I saw ya talking to him this morning. That's pretty weird. Who talks to Pokemon?"

Fell thought through his next words carefully. "Psychics are different. They can all communicate with people; they send feelings and thoughts, or sometimes images."

"Huh." She looked back to Fell. "Yeah, you weren't doin' that. You were talkin' to him, like a real conversation. Was he talking back?"

"Well, he-" Fell stopped. _Why am I explaining myself to a thirteen-year-old?_ he wondered. "Why were you spying on me?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

The girl scoffed. "Wasn't spyin'. I was just walking around the ship. Saw a guy with red glasses talkin' to a Pokemon. That's worth a second look, don't ya think?"

"Sure." Fell gave a tired smile. "Anyway, I think I'm gonna go try to sleep." He stood, stretching. "Later, kid."

"What's your name?"

He nearly said it. He nearly blurted out his name- the automatic response. But just for a second, the image of that meeting- Giovanni, Maxie, and Archie- flashed in his memory.

Better to keep his distance. Better to leave others out of all this.

Fell opened his mouth and said the next name that came to his mind.

"Cooper." He looked down at the girl and nodded slightly. "My name's Cooper."

Still sitting, she reached up to shake his hand. "I'm Crystal."

He squinted. "Crystal Lyras?"

She giggled. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

Fell scratched his head. "Well... I've heard the name somewhere. You were in the news for something, right?"

"Yup." Crystal stood too. "It wasn't much, though." She glanced towards the cabins. "Hey, I'll keep an eye out for that Kadabra."

"Oh, thanks." Fell rubbed his eyes, not looking forward to searching the next day if Kadabra didn't return. "I actually almost forgot about that."

"Forgot?" She laughed. "How could ya forget about your Pokemon?"

Fell didn't say anything. "Well, anyway, I'll see ya, Cooper." Crystal strode off, back to the cabins.

Looking up at the stars again, Fell sighed and did the same.


	4. Complications

Wow. I can't believe I put off updating for this long. I honestly wouldn't be offended if no one is reading it anymore; I say "more constant updates" and then watch paint dry for a month. Sorry, all.

[]

Kadabra knelt on one of the ship's masts. They seemed more for show than anything; sails would be redundant on an ocean liner like this.

One of the highest points on the ship, the mast allowed Kadabra a beautiful view of the horizon. The eastern sky was barely beginning to brighten, deep blues fading to lighter tones. North, as the ship was facing, a dim mass in the distance heralded the end of the journey.

Kanto.

For a moment, Kadabra's thoughts drifted to his earlier 'discussion' with Fell. He pushed the thoughts from his mind.

Standing, he hefted the spoon that was never far from his grasp. Any metal would do, really- a simple additional conductor to boost Psychic power- and Kadabra had wanted to use something else at first. However, Fell had insisted that he try to remain as normal-looking as possible.

He planted his clawed feet, shutting his eyes and focusing on the destination in his mind. His Teleport had become much stronger; meeting Fell in Saffron, having been there a full day ahead of schedule, would certainly impress his Trainer. Besides, he was aching to finally be back on dry land.

[Now.]

The frigid rushing of air past his body told Kadabra that the Teleport had been successful. He opened his eyes.

He was barely able to take a breath before his form plunged beneath the waves.

The impact of the water's surface was like an electric shock; he was stunned, slowly drifting through the water. He thought he could make out the dim light of two small red lights.

[Not strong enough, not strong enough...]

"SHARPEDO!"

[]

"But isn't there a copy?"

The skyscrapers and mansions of Saffron City towered over the bustling streets below. Fell navigated through the crowd of harried citizens, bumping shoulders and tripping over potholes. He kept his hands jammed deep in his pockets, speaking quietly into a small microphone connected to an earpiece emblazoned with an R logo.

Approaching the Silph Co. building, he glanced up at the hundreds of mirrored windows. "Your associates have detailed records of the building," he said, careful to avoid names. "If we have a copy of the key, it may provide us with a safe meeting place. Besides, this is one location no one will suspect."

Fell walked up the marble steps slowly, listening to grumbling complaints in his ear. "Perhaps I am," he said, smiling. "But I'd rather be paranoid than make a mistake."

Removing the earpiece, he turned his gaze to the direction he'd walked from- the famed Saffron Gym. The deep orange of the building's walls faded into the purple of the rooftop, giving the Gym the appearance of a clouded sunset. And there, standing before the wide double doors, was-

Fell tensed. Why was _she_ here?

[]

Crystal reached to push open the doors, but stepped back when they swung outward.

The boy who'd been leaving the Gym blushed, looking down. "Sorry, um, I didn't-"

Dark cargo pants, rolled up to the knees. Faded red jacket. Black and yellow cap, turned backwards. It could only be one person.

"Gold!" she squealed, launching forward to throw her arms around his neck. "I haven't seen ya in forever!"

"Hey," he laughed, hugging her back. "Yeah, it's been a while, I guess."

Pulling back, Crystal tilted her head and squinted at Gold's face. "D'ja get taller?"

He blushed again. "Maybe- um, I think so."

"Huh." Grinning, Crystal rapidly changed the subject again. "Where've ya been?"

Gold turned to look at the Gym doors. "Oh, you know- the Indigo League challenge, trying to nab the rest of the badges. Didn't go so well here, but that's alright."

"Hah! Bet I can beat her on'a first try!" Crystal proudly held up her badges case, with the Thunder Badge of Vermilion City displayed in a section of its own.

Smiling, Gold pulled out a matching case, flipping it open to reveal six Kanto badges. "I'm nearly done; you and Silverback are just playing for second," he teased.

She could tell the bragging wasn't real arrogance; Gold was way too nervous and unsure of himself for that. So she played along. "That nickname's dumb," she said. " 'Sides, I haven't seen him since Victory Road. Who knows what that guy's up to."

Gold's smile faded for a second. "Yeah. Who knows." Then he seemed to brighten again. "How about you? Where've you been?"

"Well, I was in Hoenn for a while; took a cruise from Lilycove to Vermilion, hopped over here, and now I'm standing in front of a goof who can't win a Marsh Badge."

He scowled, but the edges of his mouth were bending upwards. "Not my fault," he muttered. "Some people try to win with the Pokemon they love, not some cheap Dark and Ghost."

Crystal paused. "Whaddya mean?"

No longer smiling, Gold adjusted his hat. "Some guy came in there with a Sableye. Thing didn't even listen to him- it used the wrong move half the time! But he still beat Sabrina; I guess there's only so much you can do when Psychic attacks have no effect."

"No way!" Crystal said excitedly. "I met a guy like that! He had a Sableye that he tried to use in a fight on the ship."

"Weird." Gold crossed his arms. "He didn't seem to thrilled to get the Badge, though. He kept asking Sabrina about stuff, even after he won. Actually, he left right before my fight."

"Hm." _So he might still be around here_, Crystal thought. "Maybe he was asking her out."

Gold laughed. "That's gotta be it." He stretched, yawning quietly. "I should probably get going. Good luck with your fight."

"Thanks!" She clapped him on the shoulder and approached the double doors again.

[]

Of course. _Of course._

Fell turned away, mind racing. He'd thought the girl's name seemed familiar; seeing her, standing with that other kid, brought it all back. Those two had been Johto's heroes, fighting off Team Rocket and each defeating the Elite Four. They were some of the most powerful Trainers in the world, not to mention do-gooders with personal grudges against the Rockets.

And Fell- working alongside criminal masterminds- had nearly told her his _name_. He needed to be more careful.

But at the same time, it was essential that the plan move forward, and soon. Magma and Aqua were growing restless. If all the pieces weren't moving at the same time, Fell would lose his grip on the whole operation.

He took a deep breath, then walked through the door of Silph Co.


	5. Vanguards

So, that chapter was necessary in my opinion, but probably wasn't fascinating for action-lovers. Also, sorry it was so short.

It's here that I might be deviating a little bit from both canon game info and canon Pokemon info, specifically regarding Mew. I don't exactly know how far his powers go, so I'm making it up a bit. That's kosher, right?

**I didn't know until recently that guest reviews would disappear unless I specifically authorized them. So if you tried to write a review and I missed the deadline, I apologize.**

[]

[Fell.]

[Fell, can you hear me?]

[I... I don't know where I am.]

[Please, Fell. Just say something.]

[I- I shouldn't have left.]

[...I'm sorry.]

[]

The Rocket takeover had radically changed the way Silph Co. operated. Where once there had been entire floors devoted to research and lab sciences, there were now guided tours and information booths about the company's history.

_It's like a museum_, Fell thought absently. He was standing in a glass elevator, watching the dozens of floors quickly vanish below his sight._ The real information probably isn't even here. They'd want it somewhere safer.  
_

The door slid open, and Fell casually stepped into a brightly lit hallway, lined with benches and evenly spaced doors. A man in a white lab coat was walking his direction, until he dropped his clipboard and paused to retrieve it.

Fell did his best to appear as if he wasn't watching, sitting on one of the benches beside a small vase of flowers. The Silph worker straightened, disappearing through one of the doors.

For a few minutes, Fell waited, taking care not to look towards the space where the clipboard had fallen. He briefly wondered if this caution was completely necessary- it seemed to be only a service floor, anyway. It was unlikely that anyone would be watching. He shook his head. Like he'd told his accomplice, better to be paranoid.

Quietly, he strode to the door that the worker had stopped in front of. The room inside was a simple closet for cleaning supplies.

The same worker entered shortly afterward. Taking a replicate Card Key from his pocket, he locked the door behind them. "The boss won't be pleased that you insisted on having the meeting here," he said without looking at Fell. "This may be the most dangerous place in Kanto for our organization."

"Rockets' greatest scientific work took place here," answered Fell. "I suppose I'm hoping for... inspiration."

The Rocket scowled, directing his gaze at Fell. "Superstition, more like. Just what we need."

Fell paused. This one was different. His voice, his posture revealed a man accustomed to giving orders, not taking them. "You're not one of the Grunts."

The man stared, not betraying any expression. "Archer," he said stiffly. "For now, I'll be the ambassador between Giovanni and yourself."

Archer's hair was an unnatural shade of light blue; his gaunt face and half-closed eyes seemed to be hiding something. Fell attempted to memorize these details quickly. "I see," he said slowly. "I was told I would be meeting with him."

Blinking, Archer shook his head. "Giovanni is currently overseeing the research division, and the project you assigned them. The results of their work have been surprising, to say the least."

"Good." Finally, the reason for the meeting. "What have our scientists found?"

Flinching a bit at the word 'our', Archer crossed his arms. "It seems that Faraway Island isn't closed off simply for preservation. A few years ago, the governments of both Kanto and Hoenn learned that Mew was even more dangerous than previously thought. First of all, when Mew takes the appearance of another Pokemon, he gains the abilities of that Pokemon."

"So? Even Ditto can copy attacks."

Archer snorted. "You misunderstand. Attacks, yes- but Mew can do _anything_. If he appears to be Zapdos, he can summon lightning storms. Take the image of Celebi, and hypothetically, he can travel through time."

Fell tried not to let his surprise show. "What else?"

"They believe that Mew has learned to copy the appearance of humans."

The air seemed heavier in the small room. Fell swallowed, desperately trying to keep his calm demeanor in place. "They're not trying to keep people away from Mew- they're keeping _him_ away from the world."

Archer nodded. "They see him as a demigod, capable of destroying our cities, then hiding in plain sight. In their minds, Mew could infiltrate an expedition, take the appearance of an explorer, and then return to mainland."

"Ridiculous." Fell laughed. "If he wanted to leave, he could fly anywhere in the world."

"It's thought that our previous-" Archer hesitated, "-incursions may have left Mew with a disdain, even an apathy toward humans. The leaders of every continent intend to keep it that way."

"And where is the research team stationed now? I'll need to learn more."

"Cinnabar Island."

_Perfect_, Fell thought. He casually extended his hand, keeping a confident, almost smug expression plastered on his face. "This information will advance the operation more than you know."

Archer shook his hand. "Indeed." With a curt nod, he swiped the Card Key and left the room.

Fell exhaled quietly, listening to the faint sound in the sudden silence. He'd lied twice to the Rocket Executive; no one had told him to expect Giovanni himself. That had simply been a hopeful stab at learning the man's location; Fell was actually surprised that Archer had given the information up so quickly.

The second lie had to do with the location of the meeting. Silph Co. was in the exact center of Saffron City, and Fell was dozens of stories in the air.

If Kadabra was anywhere in this city, and trying to contact Fell, it would be most successful here. But Fell hadn't heard a thing.

Perhaps Kadabra really was gone...

Striding into the hallway, Fell rubbed his forehead. It wouldn't do any good to think like that. Either the Pokemon would come back, or he wouldn't.

_Focus on the plan_, he reminded himself. The second major phase was about to begin. He'd been planning to go to Cinnabar for research of his own anyway, and if the Rocket scientists were already there... why not meet up with the Magma and Aqua delegates too?

It'd be a regular party. Fell grinned. He couldn't wait until they discovered Missingno.

Or- as Fell liked to call it- Phase Two.


	6. Fools

I can't blame anyone for not writing reviews, especially since updates have been so spotty. And, for that matter, the last couple chapters have been incredibly boring. Let's spice things up with a battle, hm?

[]

[I think this is some sort of Ball. But... I thought you said no one could catch a Trainer's Pokemon?]

[...You can't hear me, can you?]

[]

"Next." Sabrina calmly extended a Great Ball, recalling her Abra, which had recently collapsed to the Gym floor.

Crystal took a deep breath, loosening the tight grip on her own capsule. She was standing at the edge of the Saffron Gym's battlefield- a series of transparent panels, designed to seem as though the combatants were standing over nothing but darkness.

A Meganium craned its head, grinning back at Crystal. She could see the small rips in the petals of the flower around her neck, and the way the two golden antennae fluttered slightly with each exhausted breath.

"Thanks, girl," she said quietly. With a flash of light, the Pokemon vanished.

As the Gym Leader reached for another Ball, Crystal replayed the events in her head. _She won the first round, and I got the second, _she thought quickly._ So everything's riding on..._

Sabrina's expression hadn't changed a bit. "Last Pokemon," she said. Barely flicking her wrist, she threw an Ultra Ball to the center of the field.

The resulting light faded to reveal a tall, fox-like Pokemon, balancing on two claw-like feet. The inverted-star shape of its head barely moved as it strode forward, almost gliding across the floor. The Alakazam casually spun two spoons in its three-fingered hands.

Crystal blinked. It was easy to be intimidated by the Psychic, but she had an idea. It was time for the one Pokemon that nobody took seriously... not even himself.

Sabrina raised her eyebrows as the final Pokemon emerged, blinking sleep from its eyes and grinning widely up at its opponent.

[]

Papers dropped to the dusty floor. Fell stood in front of a half-scorched desk, rifling through folders and tossing most aside. Of course, of _course _any valuable or sensitive information would have been taken a long time ago. What was he thinking?

The mansion was decrepit, practically in ruins. The temperate weather of Cinnabar, with almost no extreme weather except heat, kept most structures intact for years. Of course, that climate wasn't exactly helpful when fires broke out.

A smirk tugged at his mouth. Fire. Irony.

He'd been here once before, searching for information about Mew. That was long gone, but maybe, just maybe he could find something regarding the other Pokemon known for Transforming.

The portable communicator on his belt started ringing. He threw yet another useless folder down, sighing in frustration. Magma and Aqua's representatives wouldn't want to be kept waiting, but he hadn't found anything useful.

"Ditto?"

And even if he had, what would he do? Smuggle stacks of paper in his pockets, hoping-

Wait.

[]

Politoed stretched, yawning as he raised his pudgy arms above his head. The swirl pattern on his chest bounced as he shifted from foot to foot, practically dancing. To her credit, Sabrina didn't laugh or jeer like other Trainers sometimes did. She simply nodded, waiting for Crystal to make the first move.

_Dunno much about Alakazams,_ Crystal thought. _Better play it safe. _"Bubblebeam."

Leaning forward, Politoed narrowed his eyes and sent the attack spraying from its mouth. The nearly invisible bubbles raced across the field, colliding with Alakazam.

It didn't blink. Crystal grimaced. _Not a great start._

"Psybeam." The Psychic lifted one spoon, lining it up directly between Politoed and its own line of sight. The other spoon hung loosely at its side, where-

Where it launched a brilliant stream of energy. Vivid blues and greens streamed directly towards the Frog Pokemon.

Crystal's breath caught in her throat. She'd been completely fooled; if Politoed, unprepared, took the full force of that attack-

A chirping sound distracted her. Somehow, her Pokemon had danced to one side, where he now smiled back at her. She could see his eyes, half-hooded but darting between his Trainer and his opponent, not missing a thing.

Well, then. So much for playing it safe. "Swagger," she called out.

Politoed glanced over at Alakazam. Crystal wondered what he would do- she'd never actually commanded that attack before.

The Pokemon frowned, lowering his forehead. He puffed up his cheeks, then placed both hands on his belly and began swaying back and forth.

It was possibly the most ridiculous display Crystal had ever seen.

Sabrina's eye twitched. "Don't fall for it," she said through clenched teeth. "It's trying to-"

She was interrupted by a bizarre noise. Something like a low, grating cough, but slower, moving up and down in pitch.

The Gym Leader glared. "Is... is it _singing_?" The Alakazam was fuming, steam practically rising from its nostrils.

Undeterred, Politoed continued his croaking song, now flexing his knees and thrusting his hips forward.

That did it. The Psychic lashed out, sending a blast of Confusion towards Politoed.

Purple and pink waves vibrated over the Gym floor, twisting together and completely missing the target. Alakazam stared, shocked, as Sabrina pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing.

Crystal had to cough into her hand to conceal her laughter, and she could barely choke out, "W-waterfall."

Politoed's smile vanished. Rushing ahead, he barreled into the Psychic Pokemon headfirst. Still Confused, the Alakazam stumbled backwards in a daze.

Sabrina's calm demeanor was completely gone. Mouth hanging open, she seemed stunned as her Pokemon wildly loosed Psychic blasts in all directions, while Politoed stood back and chuckled.

Crystal watched in awe, another idea forming. Calm, the Alakazam could definitely defeat her Pokemon. So, how to keep it angry? "Doubleslap."

With an impish grin, Politoed darted a few steps forward. Slapping the Psychic on the back of the head, he bent down and leaped over Alakazam just before it furiously spun around.

Then he... did it again. And again. Each time, the Alakazam grew more and more enraged, until finally it swung an aimless punch as it turned, letting its clawed fist fly in a circle.

Politoed waited carefully, before tensing his legs and jumping as forcefully as he could. His head connected underneath Alakazam's fist, which swung back and collided with the Psychic's own face.

Crystal's jaw dropped. The Pokemon had... actually hurt itself. In confusion.

Groaning, the Alakazam stepped back, then finally slumped to the ground in exhaustion. The battle, strange as it had been, was over.

Crystal hesitantly recalled the Politoed, walking across the Gym floor as Sabrina sent back Alakazam as well. The Leader stared at her, hardly blinking.

It suddenly occurred to Crystal that enraging someone who could literally throw her out of the building- with her mind- might not have been a great idea.

For a few tense seconds, neither spoke.

Finally, Sabrina gave a small smile. "That's... one way to win a badge."

[]

Wow. Um, when I started writing this, I had absolutely no intentions of making it funny. I hope you guys don't feel like I disrespected Alakazam or anything.

Also, I couldn't think of any decent way to describe Waterfall, but it turns out the 'official' description (for whatever that's worth) says the user just rams into the other guy, as if it was climbing a waterfall. No water needed, I guess. Lucky me.

Also, try doing that Swagger thing in the mirror. Or to your friends. Or your significant other. Not for any particular reason, I just think it would be funny.


	7. Tricks

Sorry for another two and a half weeks of no updates. For reasons, I don't understand, my Gravity Falls fic has gotten much more popular than anything else I've written so far, so I've kinda felt like I should focus on that a little more.

HOWEVER.

I've recently had what I think are some pretty darn good ideas for this story. The main plot and twists have been in my head since the beginning, but I've just now figured out a couple of specifics for how it'll all end. So I'm thinking four, maybe five more chapters for this one. It's almost over, folks.

[]

[...I hear something.]

[Fell? Is that you?]

[Wait, I'm- I think they're letting me out.]

[...]

[Who... who's that?]

[...FELL! FELL, HELP ME! SOMEBODY H-]

[]

The Ditto blinked up at Fell, fidgeting so that its mass slipped and shifted around. Slowly, the base of the Pokemon began to solidify itself into two purple claws, which gripped the floor of the mansion.

The rest of the Ditto's shape shrank down into itself, forming a skinny torso studded with jewels. Its tiny, focused eyes widened into the flat gemstones of a Sableye, while its newly created mouth grinned.

Fell's own Sableye was pawing the ground, glaring at its opponent suspiciously. It tilted its head back and forth, as if stretching.

Fell tried not to reveal how nervous he was. This Pokemon could be the closest link to Mew he would find, and he was facing it with a fighter that barely listened to him.

Spinning an Ultra Ball in his hand, he watched the Ditto closely. It hadn't made any move to escape, but he had to be ready. "Night Shade," he commanded.

His Pokemon extended its arms, loosing purple and black waves. The energy spread to nearly fill the room, then swooped towards the Ditto, which simply rushed forward, leaping through the attack. It seemed to connect, but the Ditto shrugged it off and charged Fell's Sableye.

Arms whirling, it swung its claws in repeated circles, hoping to strike the Sableye. Fell's Pokemon hissed and jumped back, preparing a Shadow Ball that crackled between its outstretched hands.

With the memories of his last failed battle echoing in his mind, Fell glanced at the growing Ghost attack. Instead of arguing with his Pokemon, he simply waited for the Ditto to falter and drop its arms.

"Now," he called. The Sableye grunted and shoved the Shadow Ball away, where it slammed into its target and knocked it onto its back. The copy scrambled to its feet, growling, and flung both claws forward. The Confuse Ray must have worked, because even without any visible connection, it caused Sableye to stumble, baring its teeth and wander in the wrong direction.

Thinking quickly, Fell hurled the Ultra Ball at the Ditto. With a cry, the copy vanished into the capsule.

The Ball immediately broke open, releasing its prey in a burst of light. Still in Sableye's form, the Ditto hissed again before dashing away. Fell swore, reaching for another Ball, but it was too late; it had already rounded a corner, lost in the mansion's maze of rooms and hallways.

The area was suddenly quiet. Half-watching his Sableye shake its head and recover from the confusion, Fell replayed the battle to himself. Everything had gone perfectly, until the end. He'd worked well with the Sableye. Every attack had landed. And yet... failure. He'd learned nothing about Mew, Transform, anything.

More beeping from the communicator told him that the Hoenn agents were still waiting. He shook his head and recalled Sableye before beginning the trek back to the building's entrance.

[]

"Thanks," said Crystal quietly. The Marsh Badge sat in her hand, its golden surface reflecting the pale lights of the Gym.

Sabrina nodded. Glancing towards the front doors, she began walking towards the exit.

After a second, Crystal pocketed the Badge. "W-wait!" she called, running to catch up with the Gym Leader.

Glancing back, Sabrina sighed. "You're not challenging the Indigo League, so traded Pokemon will already obey you without question. We're done here."

But she had stopped walking, so Crystal seized her opportunity. "Actually, that's kinda what I wanted to talk to ya about." She stood up a bit straighter, trying to look more confident. "Did'ja fight a guy whose Pokemon didn't listen to'im?"

[]

Though Cinnabar Island was, naturally, encircled by beaches, this one was almost never seen by visitors. Nestled between rocky bluffs, it was hardly an ideal location for swimming or any other summer activities.

"Lucky it stays here," Fell muttered to himself absently. The waves quietly lapped against his feet as he walked along the rocky shore.

"How long we gotta wait?" The Aqua grunt, wearing a striped shirt, removed the blue bandana from his head and used it to wipe the sweat from his face. "Place's like 'n oven, I swear."

The Magma agent, comfortable in the heat despite the hooded red jacket drawn tight around him, glanced up at Fell. "I believe the creature may appear at any moment, correct?"

Fell nodded. "Sometimes you have to wait, but it always shows up eventually."

Stopping, he turned back to the two team members, walking back along the same path. The Aqua watched him, scoffing. "How'd it get that name, anyway?"

"It's not totally unknown." Fell looked out over the waves, still pacing. "Once in a while, people used to go after it, trying to catch it. Give it a Pokedex number."

"Well?" The grunt crossed his arms.

Fell looked at both men. "They went missing." The Hoenn criminals paled, nervously looking over the ocean themselves.

Turning away, Fell hid a smile. He couldn't resist one more dramatic story, especially when these two knew nothing about Kanto legends.

He began tracing the same footsteps again. "Speakin' a'things gone missin'," the Aqua said suddenly, "How come you don't got that Kadabra around?"

Very deliberately, Fell kept his pace. He didn't gasp, or turn to the man, or say anything, but his mind was racing. Thoughts blended together, only some of which made sense._  
_

If they only suspected, he couldn't say anything. He couldn't let the teams know he was without his strongest Pokemon.

But if they somehow did know, and he could learn where Kadabra was...

"Well?" The man was following him now, walking along the same trail of prints.

Fell took a deep breath. He was going to ask. He wasn't going to ask.

The Magma let out a startled yell and fell backwards, scrambling on the sand. Fell and the Aqua immediately looked where he was pointing; a strange bank of fog was rolling in over the beach.

Exhaling, Fell smiled. "Finally."

The grunts stared as the fog slowly expanded, chilling the air and extending up to dim the sunlight. Flickering in the center, the air shimmered and changed to become-

The Aqua dropped to his knees, too terrified to make a noise. The Magma simply looked back to Fell. "Wha- what _is_ that?!"

[]

They were sitting in a back room, away from the Gym battlefield. Two chairs and a small table occupied the center, while on the wall an intercom waited to notify news of an approaching challenger.

Sabrina raised a cup of tea to her lips. "I'll have to leave if someone is ready to fight, you understand."

"Yeah, I'll be quick." Crystal tapped her fingers on the table anxiously. "What'd that guy ask you about?"

The Gym Leader frowned. "The man you speak of wanted to know if a rogue Kadabra had been spotted in the city. It seems he's been assigned to track it down before it can hurt anybody, or even itself."

Crystal was quiet as she mulled over the information. So this... Cooper wasn't above telling a few lies. "Anythin' else?"

Giving her a strange look, Sabrina tilted her head. "I have to wonder, why are you so curious? Why do you want to know all this?"

Why? She... hadn't really thought about it. "Truth is," she said slowly, "I think... I met him before. And this guy, well, I think if keep following him," she grinned. "I'll find myself on another adventure."

Blinking, Sabrina coughed. "I see." She looked down, contemplating what to say next. "This man intended to study the move Transform. He seemed... surprised that it was not an attack unique to Psychic type Pokemon."

_I met him on a ship traveling from Lilycove... maybe he was in Mossdeep, asking the same thing. _"Whad'ja tell him?"

She shrugged. "I know little about it, myself. However, when he asked if a Pokemon could use the move on someone else, I told him it was impossible."

"Huh?" Crystal sat back, confused. "So, the first guy would use Transform to make the second guy into the first guy?"

She hesitated. "Well... I suppose. But this has never happened." Again, the Gym Leader lifted the teacup. "I told him that, if he truly wanted answers, he may find them in Cinnabar."

[]

Stark white, the skeleton of a long-dead Kabutops stared out at the men from within the fog. The shield-shaped carapace had four gaping holes, and the bone scythes slowly reached out, swaying along with the cloud. Frozen, the grunts simply watched as the creature moved towards them.

The sound of an activated Ball distracted them. Fell's Sableye sprang forward, cradling its favorite move in its claws before launching the Shadow Ball at the fog. The Ghost attack crashed into the Kabutops's form, but the image didn't waver. Instead, a low moan escaped as it once again swung the bone scythes forward.

"Again," Fell ordered. Sableye growled, but complied, loosing another burst of energy at the Missingno. It cried out again, and the fog tendrils began moving quickly. Soon, the cloud rushed upwards, and a huge wave rose up out of the ocean, heading straight for Sableye.

The Pokemon leaped back, avoiding the Water attack. "Finish it with Night Shade," said Fell, but the Ghost simply readied another Shadow Ball, hissing as it threw the blast forward.

Missingno made no sound this time, but the Kabutops-image flickered and faded, eventually vanishing completely. The ghostly fog retreated into the surf, dissipating in the waves' spray.

The Sableye panted, still in a fighting stance as the Team grunts cautiously approached the shoreline. "That's... that's it?" asked the Magma, brushing sand off of his uniform.

Fell glanced at his Pokemon. "Not quite." Sableye shuddered, glowing with a faint white light for a few seconds. "Any Pokemon that defeats Missingno gains much more power than it would from another battle."

The Aqua scratched his head. "Lemme guess. You wan' us ta fight that thing with our Darks, so they'll be stronger fer fightin' Mew?"

"Exactly." Recalling the Sableye, Fell looked back to the two men. "Tell your bosses about this. You'll still need training against Psychic types, but this'll be a good start. Mightyenas, Absols, Carvanhas, whatever you can find. This is the crux of the plan, gentlemen. This is the army that's going to defeat Mew."

[]

Only a few steps from the Gym entrance, Crystal turned back and smiled. "Thanks for the help."

Sabrina nodded again, then paused as she looked over Crystal's shoulder. "Is that..."

"Hm?" Looking through the open door, she grinned. "Oh yeah! She's traveling with me, but I didn't think I should use'er in a Gym battle."

Visibly pale, Sabrina blinked once more. "Y-yes. I certainly appreciate that."

"Well, see ya!" Destination firmly in mind, Crystal strode out, approaching the Pokemon waiting for her. "Let's go!"

[]

The scientist was peering intently at several computer screens, not even looking up as Fell entered. "Do you have an appointment?"

"I have a delivery for Doctor Cyprus," Fell said casually, not bothering to whisper the codewords.

The man paused, glancing up. "Ah... well, that does change things, doesn't it?" He motioned for Fell to close the door, while himself crossing the room. "We were able to transfer several scientists from Silph to the Lab here in Cinnabar without much trouble, but it can't hurt to be too careful."

He opened a drawer nearly overflowing with documents. "Our research division has been working harder than ever. We knew Mew had some combination of the DNA of most Kanto Pokemon, but it was thought that it was just that: a combination, with pieces spliced or missing."

Removing stacks of paper, the scientist slowly emptied the drawer. "We were wrong. Mew has the exact genetic code of every single Pokemon. Team Rocket already had quite a few species in reserve, but we needed to send out teams to collect DNA samples from the rest. A feather from an Articuno, a shed skin of a Dratini..." Pulling out a strange gun-shaped device with a large screen at one end, the man smiled. "This is only a prototype, but we're fairly confident it will work. By scanning DNA from every Pokemon in Kanto- even Mewtwo- we'll be able to use this to find Mew."

Fell stared at the tracker, keeping his expression neutral. "Good," he said calmly. "Tell Giovanni I'm very impressed with these results."

"You're too kind." Giovanni was leaning in the doorway, watching the conversation with a smirk. Fell paused, not letting surprise show in his expression.

"How soon will it be ready?" he asked. Giovanni slowly approached them, and Fell was reminded of Kadabra's words when they had first seen the man. He did seem... off. As if the man wasn't quite sure of himself.

The Rocket boss looked him straight in the eye. "Tomorrow."

[]

The Cinnabar docks were, just for a few moments, bathed in the light of sunset. Fell leaned against one of the piers' railings, absently staring out at the orange horizon.

Aside from the Ditto, everything was moving exactly as it needed to. Magma and Aqua were primed to strike whenever he needed them. Rocket had poured all of its resources into the pursuit of Mew, with results beyond satisfying, but Fell had a feeling that they were outliving their usefulness. Tomorrow would be... eventful, to say the least.

For a second, he let himself feel proud. He'd successfully kept each piece in the air, not letting a single detail fall to the ground. The plan was working in every way.

Kadabra's face flashed in his mind.

Well, not quite every way.

With a start, he noticed a speck in the distance, racing across the waves. He stood, straining in the twilight to make out the sight of the Pokemon racing towards Cinnabar.

Suicune. The Legendary Beast was incredible, darting across the waves faster than he'd seen anything move on land. Its purple mane streamed out behind it in the wind, and the diamond crest above its head shone with golden sunlight.

Fell stared as the Pokemon approached the island, slowing to a stop and gracefully leaping onto the docks. Swinging down from its back, Crystal landed on the pier with a smile. "Hey, Cooper!" She turned, patting the Suicune's back and whispering into its ear before it snorted and leaped back onto the ocean's surface, dashing eastward.

He couldn't take his eyes off of the running Pokemon's form, even when Crystal laughed and waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey! Down here!"

Blinking, he looked back to the girl. "How did- why- it's not-"

She grinned. "Well, I don't use her ta fight much, but she wanted ta come with me, so I figured, why not!"

"Wait... You didn't catch it?"

"Nope!" Crystal beamed. "She just wanted t'come with me, like I said!"

_No legendary Pokemon would just... do that. _Fell shook his head. It wasn't something he could wonder about right now. "Look, kid, why are you here?"

Startled, she paused. "Well, why not? Just figured I'd swing by the Gym, y'know, see if Old Man Hothead's good as Gold said he was."

He started pacing. "No, no... this isn't good."

"Huh?" She punched his elbow. "Cooper, what're ya talkin' about?"

"I'm not-" Fell turned, frowning. "Crystal, right? Tomorrow, this island's gonna have some real trouble. You should take that Suicune and get far away from here."

She almost looked like she was pouting. "That's dumb! Why can'tcha tell me what's really goin' on?"

He sighed in frustration. "Why are you following me, kid?"

"Easy! I think you know more stuff than you're tellin' me, 'n I also think if I follow ya around, I'm gonna find... I dunno, something interesting!" Proudly, she looked over to the island's main town. "Maybe even an adventure!"

"No." Fell stood over her, looking straight into her eyes. "Listen to me, alright? I'm not on an adventure. You need to get away from here. Away from me."

Stunned, she tried to think of something to say as he turned and headed back to town. "What's so bad about this?" she yelled. "What could be so dangerous? I was the Champion, for cryin' out loud!"

He didn't say anything. Scowling, Crystal shouldered her pack and headed down the same trail.

[]

Dang. Longest chapter ever. I know I changed some details on Missingno, but I figured since people use the glitch to make their Pokemon stronger (99 rare candies and such), I could just cut out the middleman for the story. Also, Suicune totally could make a cross-ocean trip in one evening; all three legendary beasts are said to be extremely fast (if I'm wrong on that, somebody tell me).

As always, reviews are appreciated.


	8. Culminations

[Teleport...]

[Fell, why isn't it working?]

[...TELEPORT!]

[I can't fight them all.]

[I can't... can't fight...]

[]

There was no beautiful sunrise over Cinnabar Island. Only clouds, cautiously brightening until there was enough light to see by. The Pokemon Lab was nothing but a dim outline against the dawn sky.

"I know you don't trust me," Fell said quietly. He was leaning against the back wall, wearing a dark blue jacket, hood pulled low over his eyes. The Sableye crouched in the remaining shadows, scratching at the grass and peering around the building's corner. At Fell's words, it scowled, swinging its head back and forth.

"And for good reason." The Trainer knelt down, gaze locked on his Pokemon. "But we're close. If you do this, we'll find Mew. I'm sure of it."

The Ghost didn't face him, but its ears twitched. Suddenly, it bounded away, racing for the building's front door. Fell stood and turned towards the road that led back into town, and by extension, the Pokemon Center.

That girl. The child who had famously defeated the resurging Team Rocket in Johto... she could not have appeared at a more inconvenient time or place.

He unconsciously pulled the hood even lower. This was dangerous. He was changing the plan radically, and if it didn't pay off, everything would be lost.

With a shudder, he reached for the communicator on his belt. He'd already told the Sableye where to find the tracker; that left only his most risky move yet.

Just for a second, his hand wavered. Gritting his teeth, Fell picked up the communicator and selected the number of Kanto's police force.

The device was at his ear. An operator was asking him something.

"Several Team Rocket executives are working undercover in the Cinnabar Island Pokemon Research Lab," he said quickly. "The leader known as Giovanni is here as well."

With the click of a button, Fell ended the call. The Rockets had been useful, but their time was past. Having them out of the picture would...

Would make it easier... to...

He leaned back, resting his head against the Lab's wall again. Why was it so hard to think all of a sudden? To remember the plan-

Of course. The girl, the young Champion needed to be out of the picture. Keeping Team Rocket in the operation would only invite her curiosity. Besides, it would now be easier to cover his tracks once this was all finished. And the Dark types, from the other Teams, were all he really needed anyway.

A quiet rustling made him glance down. Sableye was back, eagerly holding out the tracking device in one hand.

Fell grinned. "Good." The Ghost dipped its head in acknowledgment. Taking the machine, Fell noticed the text on the small screen.

**DNA DOWNLOAD: 89% COMPLETE**

"So we have some time." He glanced to the road, which would be teeming with Kanto's finest in a few minutes, that connected the building to Cinnabar's main town. "Let's get moving."

[]

**DNA DOWNLOAD: 97% COMPLETE**

The creature slowly approached the shore, now appearing as a gray-black mass of smoke. Two transparent hands floated near its stark white eyes, and an featureless mouth smirked as the being moved closer.

Fell glanced up from the scanner, watching the Aqua grunt hesitantly command a Poochyena and Carvanha. The dog Pokemon snarled and ran crisscrossing patterns in the sand, but squealed in fright if the Missingno came near it, while the Carvanha lurked in the shallows.

"It's strong, but it can't defend itself," Fell said loudly. Scowling, the team member ignored him, focusing on the battle. The Poochyena darted closer to its target, then bounded away in a different direction, leading the creature to turn its gaze. The Carvanha, unnoticed, swam in a diagonal pattern that put the Missingno directly between the two Dark Pokemon.

**98% COMPLETE**

"Crunch attack," called the grunt. The Missingno silently backed away from the Poochyena, but the command was given to the Savage Pokemon instead. Leaping out of the water, the Carvanha clamped its teeth onto its target, and the Missingno gave an eerie moan of pain.

The Aquas- and by extension, the Magmas- were learning strategy. Most of them waited in various buildings in the main town, but a few were always here, battling. These victories weren't only making the Dark Pokemon stronger, Fell noticed, but also helping their Trainers learn more about fighting a single opponent with multiple attackers.

In other words, exactly what they would need to do when facing Mew.

**99% COMPLETE**

The creature's ghostly face vanished, reappearing on the other side of its form to stare down the Carvanha. Having caught onto the Aqua's plan, the Poochyena threw itself into the air and collided with the unprepared Pokemon. Its face contorted, and the fog-like mass shuddered as the Missingno tried to back away, retreating from the shore.

The Carvanha growled, lifting its head (therefore, most of its body) above the water level before its Trainer even gave a command. "Ice Beam."

A shining beam cut across the waves, striking the creature through its ethereal center. Just as before, its image flickered like a projection, before it vanished completely.

**DNA DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. SCANNING-**

With a small beeping noise, the screen on the tracker distracted Fell. Depending on Mew's distance from the device, it might take a few days for the locating system to track it down. Once it was finally discovered, they-

Fell nearly dropped the machine into the sand. A digital map of the Kanto region stared up at him from the screen, with a bright red circle flashing around one certain point.

He glanced up, seeing the Aqua grunt recall the two Pokemon. Past him, beyond the waves, two islands were barely visible on the horizon.

Mew was here, within reach.

The realization dawned on Fell, causing him to take a step back. It was finally happening.

"Contact the teams," he said absently. Still staring at the figures in the distance, he barely registered the man's confused expression.

"What'd ya say?" Blinking, he glanced back to the Aqua. A Carvanha. Good. Big enough to Surf with two people.

"Contact both teams," he said with more force. "Your superiors and the Magmas. We need every Trainer in the operation at the Seafoam Islands."

The grunt looked back to where the Missingno had been. "But- the plan, the trainin', we ain't done-"

"The plan's changed." Fell slipped the tracker back into his pocket, a slight smile on his face. "We're ending this now."

[]

Fell's mind was racing as he stepped onto the shore of the first island. More rocky and uneven than Cinnabar's sandy beaches, the island lived up to its name, with off-white foam coating much of the shoreline, but Fell couldn't stop thinking about the upcoming battle.

The first priority would be to negate Mew's Teleport. Sableye could use Mean Look, and if he was quick enough, the other Dark types could move in and begin the fight. Attacking all at the same time might overwhelm the legendary Pokemon; on the other hand, it would allow Mew a window to fight back with something unexpected. It may be more efficient to space out the attacks...

He shook his head. Of course, they had to find it first. The tracker's screen could only specify that Mew was in the eastern cave, but it would also give an audible signal to alert its presence.

A half dozen Magmas were waiting on the beach, looking warily at the cavern entrance. Five Aquas recalled the Pelippers, Sharpedos, and Wailmers that had brought them. The grunt had told Fell that the executives, as well as Maxie and Archie, weren't far behind.

Fell coughed, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "This is what we've been preparing for," he said loudly. "We have nothing to be afraid of."

A few of the grunts muttered objections, but the group eventually entered the cave.

Inside, it wasn't nearly as dark as Fell had expected it would be; occasional breaks in the ceiling let in enough sunlight to dimly illuminate most of the caverns. Sableye silently treaded in front of the group, ears flattened and crystalline eyes gleaming.

Fell held the tracker in front of him, cautiously moving it from side to side. The faint beeping didn't change in volume, but lowered in pitch if it was pointed any direction except straight ahead.

"We're on the right path," he said to himself. Several of the team members readied Poke Balls and Great Balls as the group approached a narrow opening.

"Hey..." One of the Magmas was looking at Fell, with a few nervous glances to the darkness ahead. "What's the plan once we find it?"

He watched the Sableye dart over the uneven ground, checking for any problems as well as alternate routes. "My Sableye will keep it from escaping," he said, suddenly glad the Teams hadn't seen the disastrous fight in which the Sableye ignored him. "The rest of the Dark Pokemon will keep Mew's attention, and we'll keep it distracted until the others arrive, especially the leaders."

An Aqua stared resolutely at the entrance to the next cavern. "Maybe we should jus' wait for 'em," he said slowly. "Would'n' hurt to have a few more ready when he shows 'is face."

Fell frowned. "The longer we wait, the more time Mew has to escape," he insisted. "We have to keep it here, or end up looking all over Kanto until we find it again." As he spoke, he stepped through the gap in the rock wall.

Beep.

Fell, the grunts, and Sableye all froze. The tracker emitted another loud noise.

Beep.

This cavern was much darker, with only the light trailing in behind them. Sableye hissed, crouching low to the ground and swinging his head from side to side. Much of the grotto was obscured by rock formations on the floor, as well as the ceiling.

Fell closed his eyes, breathing deeply, then opened them again. "Sableye," he said quietly. "Use Flash."

The Ghost tilted its face toward the ceiling. Two beams of white light emitted from its jeweled eyes, creating a glowing sphere that lingered near the ceiling, brightening the entire cavern.

Stunned, Fell didn't move.

A Suicune, calmly standing in the center of the cave, glared at him.

For a second, he couldn't remember what he'd meant to do next. Sableye, however, leaped forward and opened its mouth in a gaping grin, clearly using its Mean Look attack. The Suicune didn't seem affected, but neither did it move or try to escape.

Snapping back to reality, Fell spun to see the grunts simply watching, standing against the cave wall. "What are you waiting for?" he sputtered. "Send out your Pokemon! It's Mew!"

The Magma Trainer closest to him smiled.

At that moment, three different things happened.

First, a Graveler burst through the ground, not far from where Fell was standing. Two of its arms braced the nearby floor, pushing its body out of the hole, while the other two reached back down to help somebody out. Crystal appeared, shaking dust out of her hair and looking up at Fell. She was about to say something, but stopped when she caught sight of the Suicune.

Next, a voice sounded out. "Sorry, boy." Archie stepped out from behind one of the boulders, grinning and pointing at something on the ground. "But they got a better offer." The unconscious form of Fell's Kadabra barely moved, only shifting slightly when the Aqua leader viciously kicked it.

Finally, dozens of people moved out of the shadows and corners. Most had red R emblems emblazoned on black shirts, while some wore Aqua or Magma uniforms, and they all wordlessly held up various Poke Balls.

The room seemed to shake as hundreds of Dark Pokemon appeared.

Sneasels, hissing and swiping their claws through the air.

Umbreons, red eyes glowing as brightly as their gold rings.

Houndooms, expelling jets of fire that reached the cavern's ceiling.

Absols, leaping to the top of boulders and staring down at the masses below.

Mightyenas, racing across the stone floor as they howled.

Murkrows, squawking and flying directly above the Suicune, before soaring in circles ominously.

Fell sank to his knees.

What... what had...

How?


	9. Masks

This ending is gonna pan out in four of five shorter chapters, even though it's all the same scene. Hope that's okay.

[]

The Sableye was the first to react, hissing loudly and racing towards Kadabra's unmoving form. Archie smirked, stepping back and allowing the Ghost to frantically hover near his teammate.

It wasn't until Sableye, satisfied that the Psychic was alive, glared up at Archie that the Aqua leader nodded to the grunts standing behind Fell. As a pulsating Shadow Ball grew between the Pokemon's claws, one of the grunts leaned down to Fell's ear.

"Return it," he said quietly. "Or we'll kill him." Numbly staring ahead, Fell had full view of the gleaming Deepseatooth that Archie was now holding over Kadabra's body. The Sableye could see it as well, and let the attack slowly dissipate.

Fell activated the Poke Ball, blinking against the light as Sableye vanished. "S'what I like to see," crowed Archie. With a glance to the side, he added, "You too, princess."

Still taking in the scene, Crystal's focus danced from the Aqua leader, to Fell, to the Kadabra, to her Graveler.

Fell shook his head wildly. "No, don't-"

"Rollout." The Rock Pokemon growled, wrapping its arms around itself and launching towards Archie.

The mechanical sound of Poke Balls opening made the Graveler halt, turning back to see a Sealeo, Crawdaunt, and Torkoal lined up next to Fell.

Archie scowled, no longer smiling. "We hold all the cards, kid. You could'a killed him-" he pointed to the kneeling Fell, dangerously close to the Crawdaunt's pincers, "-or his pet. So let's not be doin' anything else... dangerous, huh?"

Face white, Crystal recalled the Graveler. "What's going on?" Her voice sounded small. "What's gonna happen to her?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Her... you-" Glancing back to the Suicune, his eyes widened. "You think she's-"

"She's helping me!" Crystal burst out. "She's my friend!"

Archie folded his arms. "How'ta keep this simple... Hm." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the Legendary Pokemon. "That's Mew."

While Crystal stared in shock, Fell bowed his head, willing that this situation could somehow be changed. He'd... he'd wanted to defeat Mew, but this was all wrong. And the girl was never supposed to be wrapped up in all this. To watch helplessly as her loyal 'Suicune' was attacked.

The Aqua leader shrugged. "And... we're gonna kill it."

Crystal's shriek was lost in the din as the first coordinated wave of Dark Pokemon rushed in to begin the assault. Several of the Umbreons and Murkrows had been training Mean Looks on Mew from the beginning, and now a few Houndooms began spitting ghostly flames. The Will-O-Wisps lighted on the Mew's Suicune-form, immediately causing dark burns.

Wincing in pain, Mew otherwise didn't move. Fell stared, barely noticing that the grunts were taking away his two Pokeballs as well as Crystal's full set of six.

"Why isn't it fighting back?" he asked hollowly.

Archie's smile returned. "Cause, see-" He stopped, looking behind Fell and the team members. "Well, well," he said brightly. "The boss-man has arrived."

Shifting slightly, Fell turned to see a figure stepping through the cavern's entrance. The man's hair was a strange hue, almost turquoise. A white Rocket uniform shone in the semi-darkness, and as the man approached, Fell could see his eyes. Wide. Angry. Commanding.

Archer immediately made his way to Fell, bending down to rest on one knee. "Because unlike some," he said in a contained whisper, "The creature knows when it has met its match."

"How-" Fell's mind was racing, trying to piece together what had happened. "This couldn't... Giovanni was arrested; how did you-"

"Wrong," Archer said casually. "He was never in that lab."

Suddenly, the man grabbed Fell's shoulders, dragging him to his feet and throwing him against the cave wall. "You thought you could betray us?" he yelled. "You thought you could outwit _Team Rocket?_"

The blow to Fell's head left him disoriented, and he couldn't see the next punch coming. Archer's fist knocked the wind from him, and he doubled over, coughing and gasping for breath. "You thought _we_ needed _you_?!" the man screeched, swinging his elbow down to connect with Fell's exposed back. He collapsed, face-down on the stone floor.

The Rocket began to laugh, not cruelly, but genuinely amused. "Why, fool, would I tell you everything you needed to know so easily in Saffron?"

Fell tried to lift his bruised ribcage from the floor, but Archer planted his foot on his back, forcing him down again. "Why would Giovanni immediately show you the device to locate Mew?"

"_I- don't- know_," he said through clenched teeth.

"We wanted you to come here! You gave us the tools, the information we needed to finish this, and we didn't have to give you _anything_!"

Fell could barely choke out, "Liar- found- Giovanni- arrested-"

Archer laughed again, higher, more wildly, and he bent down so his face was near Fell's. "You- you _don't know?!_ You haven't guessed yet?" He took hold of Fell's chin, wrenching his head up so he was forced to stare the man in the eyes. "I AM GIOVANNI!" he screamed.


	10. Curtains

Seeing Mew's lack of resistance, the attacking Pokemon grew bolder. One Absol launched a Razor Wind attack, flaring a bolt of energy from the crest on its head. Several Sneasel took turns lashing at Mew with their claws, while the numerous Murkrow flying above strafed the area with blasts of Night Shade or flew in closer to use Faint Attack, colliding with the Legendary Pokemon.

"How do you think Team Rocket has survived for so long in the shadows?" Giovanni contemptuously shoved Fell back to the ground. "You are not the first to try to locate me. Archer took my appearance to guard against agents such as you."

Fell was half-aware of being dragged towards one of the cave walls, where a small cage of interlocking metal bars had been constructed. "We saw you coming a mile away, Trainer." The door swung open, and he was tossed inside, landing roughly on the hard stone.

"Let go! I swear, I'll-" With a yelp, Crystal landed beside him, rubbing her head and glaring at the grunts outside.

Giovanni continued as if she hadn't said anything. "However, you did have certain... ideas, I must admit," he paused, gesturing to the battle taking place in the center of the cavern. "None of this would be possible without you."

Glancing through the bars, Fell could see his and Crystal's Poke Balls, casually tossed in a heap against the far wall.

"The plan to join forces, to devote more effort into Mew research, to train Dark Pokemon into fighting machines..." The Rocket leader knelt beside the open door, smirking. "To practice against Psychics..."

Kadabra's limp frame was thrown into the cage as well, barely stirring as it crashed to the ground.

Fell couldn't breathe. He had... done this. He had told them to fight Psychics, and they'd found-

"But most of all," Giovanni said, closing the door of the cage, "You gave us the inspiration to make Mew's execution public."

Confused, Crystal repeated the last word, but Fell barely heard; he'd rushed to Kadabra's side, picking the Pokemon up and holding him close to his own chest. "I'm so sorry, Kip," he sobbed, using an old nickname. "This is all my fault."

Crystal awkwardly turned to face him in the cramped space of the cage. "Cooper, what's- what's goin' on?"

For a second, the only sound was the roar of the battle. Fell sniffed, taking a deep breath. "That's not my name," he said quietly. Blinking back tears, he brushed dirt of of the Kadabra's forehead. "It's my brother's."

[]

Giovanni strode towards the shifting mass of Dark Pokemon, waiting for the numerous Trainers to see him. "Call it off," he commanded. "It's time to show the world."

Slowly, the attackers backed away, leaving only Mew. Stubbornly keeping the Suicune's form, the Legendary was now covered in bruises and cuts, but still refused to keel over, balancing precariously on its feet.

Standing with his back to Mew, Giovanni smiled as he waited for several Rockets to set up a computer attached to a small video camera. "You were right, Fell," he said under his breath. "This is destiny."

One of the grunts held the camera at eye level, and pointed to the Rocket Boss. He grinned wider, gesturing behind him. "Behold," he said simply. "Mew."

[]

"We were... exploring the island," Fell said wistfully. Crystal listened with rapt attention, occasionally glancing to the Psychic Pokemon in disbelief. "One of my friends had a surfing Wartortle, and it wasn't far from our home, so..."

"I thought they made it illegal to go to Faraway," Crystal said quietly.

Fell bowed his head. "That's why we didn't tell anyone."

[]

"This message is being streamed to the League's main website," Giovanni said. "I suggest you broadcast it to the major networks of Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn- I assure you, it will make its way there eventually."

The Dark Pokemon were clamoring, some howling and pawing the ground in anxiety, while others growled and circled a fair distance from Mew. "This world does not belong to Pokemon," the Rocket boss said with a smile. "It does not belong to the League, or the Gym Leaders, or even the Legendary beings."

"Starting today, it belongs to Rocket, Magma, and Aqua. And now... now, we're going to prove it." He stepped to the side, allowing a full view of the Suicune's profile, with its head low to the ground and eyes closed.

[]

"Mew tried to tell me something," Fell leaned against the wall, looking up at the horizontal bars of the cage's ceiling. "I couldn't understand it, but I think he was just angry that we had seen him at all."

Crystal watched the rise and fall of the unconscious Kadabra's chest with each breath. "Maybe he was afraid of us," Fell said with a slight smile. "Anyway, Cooper tried to calm him down, and then..." He closed his eyes, shuddering. "Transform."

[]

Giovanni nodded. "Kill it."

Dozens of attacks flew from the surrounding Dark Pokemon; Umbreons sent glowing Shadow Balls soaring towards Mew, while the Houndooms launched enormous blasts of fire. Mightyenas darted in and tore at Mew with their teeth, and Sneasels assailed it with freezing gusts.

Keeping its head low, Mew didn't seem to move at all as several Barriers and Lights Screens materialized around it. The shields didn't completely block the assault, but seemed to slow the damage.

Still, Mew didn't attack.

[]

"Is there a way to get him back to normal?" Crystal asked.

The escalating battle drew Fell's attention, and he didn't look away from the Suicune's form as he answered. "I thought that if I could defeat Mew, he'd have to help." He shook his head. "This whole plan was doomed from the start, looks like." His voice caught on the last word, and he let his head fall into his hands, trying not to cry again.

"Why isn't he fighting?" Crystal tried to look away from the battle, but couldn't.

Fell wiped his eyes. "Like Giovanni said- he knows he can't win." Glancing up, he added, "Even if he attacks a group at once, the Pokemon behind them can just fill in. There's too many."

"But... he's not really gonna... die, though, right?"

After a pause, Fell said quietly, "I don't know."


	11. Tides

Crystal was running out of ideas.

Several members of the Hoenn teams stood between her and her Pokemon, who were still in the capsules thrown in a haphazard pile across the cavern. She could never get past the grunts, especially without her team.

Of course, getting out of the cage at all was the more pressing objective. Crystal glanced to her side, where Fell was staring vacantly into space, huddled close to Cooper's still form. He almost looked like he'd... given up.

"There's gotta be somethin'," she repeated. "Maybe there's- I dunno, a-"

"There's nothing," Fell broke in. "They won."

She scowled, but it was looking more and more like he was right. No items, no Pokemon...

Maybe she was looking at this from the wrong angle. "What about Suicune?" she asked suddenly.

Fell absently looked over to the continuing battle. "Mew."

"Right, Mew, whatever." She bit her lip, concentrating. "He's a Psychic, right?"

He nodded, but said nothing. "So he can read minds?" Crystal asked with the beginnings of a grin.

"Well..." Fell glanced back down to Cooper, realization dawning in his expression. "If a Psychic spends a lot of time with someone..."

"Exactly!" Her eyes lit up. "Suicune's been followin' me for ages!"

She grasped one of the metal bars, facing the one-sided brawl.

_Mew... can you hear me?_

[]

On Giovanni's command, the attacking Pokemon had stopped for a moment, allowing the broadcast an unblocked view of the Legendary.

Mew swayed slightly, grimacing. Burns and scars covered the blue skin, and his legs buckled, causing him to slowly fall against a nearby boulder.

_You don't need to say anything back._

The eyes of the Suicune closed, and his breathing was ragged, coming in short gasps.

_I know you really got hurt, but..._

A faint light began to shine from every inch of the Legendary's skin.

_But you can't give up!_

The light grew stronger, and soon the image of the Suicune was shining so brightly that the humans and Pokemon in the cave had to turn away.

_You were there in Saffron, right? You saw me fight Sabrina?_

Gradually fading, the light eventually vanished to reveal Mew's true form. The Psychic floated serenely, still closing his eyes.

_There was no way a goofy Politoed could beat someone as strong as that Alakazam._

The jagged cuts and dark bruises stood out even more against the soft pink fur.

_But... but he did, remember?_

Giovanni was facing the camera, gesturing excitedly to Mew while making some grand threat that didn't quite reach his ears.

_Here, I dunno how, but..._

The Dark Pokemon were inching closer, slowly closing the circle.

_I know you can do it!_

Once more, the Rocket Boss turned to the gathered fighters, and nodded.

The many Houndooms and Mightyenas led the charge, baying and howling, while the Murkrows shrieked and dropped towards Mew from above. Several Absols silently raced toward their target, and the Sneasels hissed and leaped above the heads of the others. The army had nearly reached Mew, when...

Every Pokemon stopped.

[]

Fell squinted. "What's- what happened?"

Crystal's vision was blocked by the masses of Dark Pokemon, but she could tell that the attack had come to a grinding halt. "Not sure," she mused. "I tried t'get Mew to fight, and-"

And she had reminded him of the battle against Sabrina.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, _no way_."

[]

Mew's eyes opened, not in defiance or challenge.

They opened wide, like a child making a funny face. His feline paws reached up to grasp his ears, and the Psychic began tipping forward, until it was flipping through the air. A soft giggle escaped, and quickly grew louder until it was echoing throughout the cavern.

One by one, the Dark Pokemon turned away from Mew, facing each other or looking back to their Trainers in confusion. For a few seconds, silence reigned.

A Mightyena close to the center deliriously shook its head, growling, before launching itself towards an Umbreon and swiping its flank with its claws.

As if waiting for a signal, the rest of the Pokemon sprang into battle. Blasts of dark energy, plumes of fire, and gusts of freezing wind shot throughout the cavern as the Rocket members desperately tried to rein in their fighters.

[]

"I can't believe it," Fell said in wonder.

Crystal squealed, excitedly slapping a hand against the bars. "I taught him that! That's from me!" Shifting her gaze, she smiled. "Look!"

The grunts in front of her Poke Balls were distracted as well, trying to aid the other team members in controlling the Dark Pokemon. "This is our chance!" Crystal whispered loudly.

"What?" Fell frowned, glancing back to her. "Our chance for what?"

"I dunno- _something_! Help me think here!"

He shook his head. "I told you, they thought of everything. I spent a lot of time with them, and I know- they didn't miss a thing."

Crystal growled in frustration. "Then stop thinking like a criminal and figure something out!"

Fell turned back to the battle, trying desperately to come up with a plan. The confusion brought on by Swagger wouldn't last long; the Dark Pokemon would finish Mew off soon. Of course, that only made it harder to focus.

He took a deep breath, trying to mentally start over. The teams had taken their Pokemon, their items, even their freedom...

_Don't think like a criminal._

Take, take, take. The one thing that Giovanni wouldn't think of...

Would be to give something up.

Fell glanced down to his empty belt. Two slots had small, blinking lights, while the others remained dark.

A light from a distant attack lit up Cooper's face for a moment. Fell sighed, facing the Kadabra. "He's not really mine, anyway," he whispered, then reached down to press a button on one of the slots.

"Third slot, Pichu, level 12," he said clearly, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "Release Pokemon."

The light blinked off.

Near the other wall, one of the Poke Balls opened suddenly. A white light faded to show a blinking Pichu, cautiously looking around.

Two Magma grunts, startled by the noise and light, quickly threw down capsules of their own, releasing a Numel and a Golbat. The Pokemon advanced on the Pichu, who squeaked and began trembling in fear.

"No," Fell said desperately. Then, calling out, "Get the rest!"

The Electric Pokemon looked up upon hearing Fell's voice, then darted out of the way of a Flamethrower. Fell and Crystal watched, breathless, as the Pichu scampered back towards the remaining Poke Balls.

The Golbat swooped down, blocking him from their sight. For a second, Fell simply waited, trying not to imagine the consequences if this final plan didn't work.

Finally, another burst of light blinded the Golbat, which squawked and landed short of its target. Before the light had faded, Sableye was already racing across the stone floor, leaping towards the Numel with claws outstretched. The Fury Swipes attack drove the startled Fire Pokemon back, and the Sableye used the distraction to prepare a Shadow Ball even as the Golbat was soaring towards him.

The Ghost attack slammed into the Golbat's wing, and it spun twice before falling back to the ground. The Sableye hissed, spinning around as an Aqua grunt called out a Mightyena. The Magmas' Pokemon spread out so the three formed a ring around the Ghost.

"Dragon Rage," Fell called out.

Surprised by the command, the team members hesitated. In the second that they were distracted, Sableye grinned and raced over to the Mightyena, colliding with it using a Faint Attack. Immediately, the Ghost directed a Shock Wave of lightning towards the Golbat and sent a dark burst of Night Shade at the Numel.

Crystal's jaw dropped. "Um..."

"It's an old trick I taught him," Fell smiled. "'Dragon Rage' just means, 'Do whatever you want.' Got me kicked out of a tournament once."

"Wow." She paused, looking worried. "He can't fight'em all, though."

Now it was Fell's turn to be excited. "Doesn't have to." He nodded towards the Pichu, who had gone unnoticed in the battle. The mouse Pokemon was darting among the Poke Balls, and soon enough, more flashes were lighting up the area.

Crystal beamed as her entire team appeared in the cavern. Meganium, stomping its feet and stretching its neck. Politoed, grinning widely under half-closed eyes. Graveler, cracking its knuckles and staring down the Aqua's and Magma's Pokemon. Arcanine, howling and baring its teeth. Delibird, clicking its beak with a smile. Ursaring, calmly surveying the cavern while splaying its claws outwards.

A surge of hope shot through Fell. "That's better," he said wryly. "Now we just need-"

A scraping sound made them both turn to see Sableye, hanging on the side of the cage. Before Fell could tell him to go back and help in the battle, the Ghost swung his head forward and latched onto one of the bars with his teeth. He snapped his jaws together, severing the metal completely; repeated a few times, the action created a small hole.

Crystal stepped through, rushing to her team; before following, Fell stared at his Pokemon. "Thanks," he said awkwardly. Sableye appeared to roll his eyes, then darted over to Crystal's Pokemon.

The Golbat, Numel, and Mightyena had already rushed into the relative safety of the crowd of now-lucid Dark Pokemon. Crystal and Fell stood before their own group of seven, watching the Rockets and Hoenn team members prepare for another assault on Mew.

"This is gonna be the biggest battle ever," Crystal said in awe.

Fell took a deep breath. "Ever fought a double battle before, kid?"

She snorted. "Please. I'm the Champion. 'Sides, we're gonna have a lot more than two."

"Chu!" Fell's response was cut short by a tug at his ankle. He looked down to see Pichu, urgently pointing back to the cage.

Cooper was awake, shakily stepping out of the gap in the bars.


	12. Floodgates

[]

"Kip!" Fell ran forward, stumbling over the uneven ground. A low, rumbling growl stopped him cold as a Mightyena stepped out of the shadows.

"Thief." A flash of gray fur streaked towards the Kadabra, and Cooper was suddenly kneeling, hands outstretched to keep from falling forward. Both hands- empty.

Fell turned in the direction of the voice to see Archie, cackling as the Mightyena delivered him a shining spoon. "No tricks this time, boy," he said. "Red R wants you and your Pokemon outta the picture. Crunch attack."

The Dark Pokemon padded towards Cooper, ears flattened, growling quietly.

[Fell-]

"No hard feelin's," the Aqua leader laughed. "Just... loose ends."

[Fell, I can't use Psychic power!]

The Mightyena tensed, preparing to leap.

[Help me!]

There wasn't enough time for a command, but Fell focused on a memory. Another fight, between these same two Pokemon.

Cooper's eyes widened.

Just as Archie's Mightyena was about to bite down, a Fire Punch collided with its jaw, sending the Dark Pokemon sprawling to the ground. The Hoenn boss swore, reaching to his belt for another Poke Ball.

He was knocked to the ground by Fell's haphazard tackle. For a second, the two rolled across the floor, kicking and fighting as Archie tried desperately to reach his other Pokemon. Crashing into the cave wall, Fell noticed something pressing into his back.

They had accidentally made their way to the scattered collection of empty Poke Balls. On a whim, Fell grabbed the one that seemed familiar, and pressed the button on the capsule.

Across the cavern, Sableye vanished in a blur of light.

Barely a second passed before the Ball snapped shut. Still grappling with the Aqua leader, Fell threw the Poke Ball to the floor, releasing Sableye. "Thief," he said through gritted teeth.

The Ghost leaped into the fray, snatching the capsules on Archie's belt before he could turn. When he did, startled, Fell used the opportunity to get to his feet and shove him against the wall.

The sudden, relative quiet seemed out of place. Fell tried to keep his breathing level, while holding Archie at arm's length, and Sableye calmly stood among the boss's Poke Balls, even having the presence of mind to return the stunned Mightyena.

"What're you... gonna do?" Archie said in short, rasping breaths. The man's smile was unnerving, especially with the cuts and scrapes on his face. "This- this was... your idea."

Fell's gaze darted to the other side of the cavern. Crystal was commanding all of her Pokemon at once, but the Rockets were keeping up with her, coordinating all of the attacking Dark types to balance their efforts between her team and the still-passive Mew.

"Remember?" Archie wheezed. "Y'wanted... to beat him." He was leaning against the wall, even without Fell's reach pinning him there. "T'make history."

Fell quickly took the spoon from his hands, but Archie barely noticed, still rambling on.

"Or was... it all a trick... to get t'the Rockets?" He suddenly laughed, a tired, coughing sound. "How'd that work out?" he gasped.

[Fell... what are we going to do?]

"Can't save'im, boy!" Archie yelled with a wild grin. "Might as well kill'im!" He doubled over, coughing again.

[We wanted... to beat Mew, right?] Cooper was standing off to the side, looking up at Fell. He looked scared and, just for a moment, like a little brother. [But I don't think we can.]

All the words seemed to settle in Fell's mind. Giovanni, Archie, Cooper- they were right. They couldn't simply defeat Mew.

Either the Legendary would die, or... somehow win.

But Crystal's words echoed, too. _There's gotta be somethin'..._

"Why doesn't he just Teleport away?" Fell asked suddenly.

[He can't. They did the same thing to me.]

"That's it," Fell breathed. "It's Mean Look." J_ust like I was going to use._

He tried to push the thought from his mind, turning to Cooper. "When they-" His voice broke, and blinking, he tried again. "When they caught you, they kept you from Teleporting?"

[Yeah. There was always a Dark Pokemon around; I could feel it.]

Fell looked back to the battle. "Can you tell who's using it now?"

The Kadabra scanned the mass of Dark Pokemon, trying to find the pattern. [Two Umbreons,] he said, pointing to each. [One of the Murkrows, but it's resting on a boulder, not flying.]

"Okay." Fell looked back to his Sableye, patiently waiting next to a dazed-looking Archie. As the Ghost's Confuse Ray slowly faded, he approached his Trainer, crystalline eyes shining.

Fell knelt down to Sableye's eye level. "They don't need to faint," he said quickly. "Just enough to distract them."

Sableye grinned. Racing away, he plunged into the battle, occasionally firing an attack to keep a Dark Pokemon on their toes as he made his way towards the first Umbreon. It was completely immobile, simply staring at Mew as the other Pokemon fought.

[When he's done, we should go.]

Cooper tugged at Fell's arm, looking at him urgently. [I- I think I'm strong enough to Teleport out.]

Fell nodded, distracted. "Yeah."

The first Umbreon jumped, barking, then spun around to where Sableye had attacked with Fury Swipes. But the Ghost was already gone, darting past every Pokemon to leap onto a large boulder, where a Murkrow was waiting.

Fell sighed. "We can't leave Crystal, though. And there's no way she'll go with us- she hates Team Rocket, and she'll try to take them all on by herself if we let her."

With a caw, the Dark bird flew away from its perch, and Sableye dropped back to the floor. The last Umbreon was growling, baring its teeth, but it couldn't take its eyes off of Mew. Sableye approached, preparing a Shadow Ball, and the attack slammed into the Umbreon-

Mew was gone. Fell hadn't been watching that closely, but Mew was suddenly gone.

He turned, frowning. "What did-"

Mew was there, in front of him, blinking with its wide eyes. [Teleport,] a high voice said.

Then everything else was gone.


	13. Excuses

Oi. Two chapters in one day. I don't think I've ever done that, even when they're as short as this.

[]

Faraway Island was beautiful. Tall, white cliffs surrounded the island, and the stone surface had been smoothed by years of ocean waves.

But the center of the isle was truly amazing. A lush forest, filled with thick grasses, stretched between dozens of shimmering lakes. At the highest point of the island, a large field of colorful flowers, monolithic boulders, and patches of swaying grass formed a large circle. The absence of trees here provided a view of the entire island, from the vibrant slopes to the edge of the ocean.

Fell found himself leaning against one of the chest-high stones in the field, shaking from the experience of being Teleported over such a great distance. The flowers and grass around him were shifting in the breeze; it almost seemed that the entire field was moving, constantly changing its appearance.

Mew was floating in front of him, slightly curled up. The Legendary Pokemon's blue eyes were blinking curiously, and his pink fur seemed free of any scars or injuries.

_Recover, probably,_ thought part of Fell's mind absently. For a moment, he was overwhelmed by the rush of the Teleport, the sight of the island, and Mew.

Then the events of the last day crashed back into his mind. "Kip," he blurted out. "My Sableye! They're still- We have to go back! Crystal, she's-" Mew's look didn't change, and the Psychic still seemed faintly amused by Fell's reaction. "We have to get them out!"

Mew said nothing, only turning his head a bit and spinning his tail in a circle. Fell shoved away from the boulder, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Don't you get it?" he yelled. "They could die!"

The Legendary twitched his ears, but said nothing. He slowly began to drift away. "You can't leave! You- you can't-"

_It's not about them_, Fell realized. "I- I didn't mean to-" He shook his head, mind racing. "You weren't supposed to get hurt! I just-"

The wind had died down, leaving absolute silence. Mew didn't turn around, but tipped his head to one side.

Fell tensed and relaxed his fingers. "I'm sorry, all right?" he shouted, words tumbling out quickly. "This all went wrong, and I know it was my fault, but now they're in trouble, and I can't help them, and _none of this was supposed to happen!"_

The pain in his ribs flared up again, and Fell collapsed into the long grass. Getting to his knees, he tried to breathe evenly, fighting the burn in his torso as well as the tears in his eyes. "The plan, the stupid plan," he sobbed. "I thought I could figure everything out, and it would be okay..." He shut his eyes. "I wanted to help Cooper, but they took him away, and- I couldn't save him! I gave wanted criminals the idea to torture my brother, and he nearly died because of me!"

Another small breeze ruffled the grass, brushing up against Fell's skin as he knelt in the field.

After a few minutes, he looked up to see Mew, floating closer. [Why did you come here that day?] the Psychic asked, similar to the way Cooper spoke.

Startled, Fell wiped his arm across his eyes. "What... here?" A bitter smile appeared on his tearstained face. "We were kids. We were just exploring."

Mew's expression hadn't changed. "We weren't thinking, alright?" Fell hissed. "We were just _kids!_" His voice rose, and he stood back up, glaring at the Legendary Pokemon. "And you took his whole world away from him!"

Silence again. The anger died down, leaving Fell with the realization that he was in no position to make accusations without his Pokemon. "Why'd you do it?" he asked, voice clipped.

Mew stretched out, then seemed to relax, as if he was sighing. [I had two reasons. The first is that I was scared.]

"_Scared?_" Fell repeated in disbelief. "Scared of what?"

[When I saw you, I thought that humans were coming to claim this island for their own.] The Pokemon looked out over the waves, pointing with his small paws. [You have the entire world, and I wished to keep my home. I know there are many of you and only one of me, but... This is fair, I think.]

Before he could stop himself, Fell laughed. A short, strange giggle escaped his mouth, and he grinned and looked up at the sky. [Why do you laugh?]

"You're scared of humans." Fell chuckled again, shaking his head. "It's funny, in a sad kind of way." He followed Mew's line of sight, also gazing at the ocean. "We're _terrified_ of you. All the Legendaries, we- we really don't know what you can do, and that scares us."

Mew turned to him, confused, but Fell continued. "The island wasn't closed off to keep your home safe. We're not that noble. We hoped that if we left you alone, then... you wouldn't attack us."

[Why would I attack you?]

"I don't know." Fell closed his eyes again, thinking back to his conversation with Giovanni. "Like I said, we had no idea what you could do, so we were afraid."

The Psychic was silent, watching the waves crash against the cliffs far below. Fell took a deep breath, feeling the familiar anger well up again. "But maybe we shouldn't have been scared."

[I don't-] The Pokemon's objection was interrupted as Fell turned to Mew, glaring again. "It's not that you're weak. The truth is, I don't know how strong you are."

The dull pain was aching again in Fell's back, reminding him of the events in the Seafoam Islands. "But you're useless," he spat, aware that his anger was exaggerating his words. "You can Transform people, sure, but when it really matters, you do nothing."

Mew was frowning, the first clear emotion he had shown. "You were just sitting there, waiting for Team Rocket to destroy you."

[You're wrong.]

"No!" Fell said loudly. "Face it- you _needed_ us, and you were ready to give up. You didn't fight back because you couldn't!"

[That's not true.]

"You hide behind these grand legends, but you can't do _anything-_"

Mew was suddenly mere inches away, pressing his forehead to Fell's. [Be silent.]

The island vanished. Pure darkness surrounded them, abruptly replaced by a brilliant new vision.


	14. Mirrors

*Reviews are the grease of the wheel that is my brain. Or something. The point is, I really appreciate reviews, and I know a decent amount of people are reading this- you get a nifty little 'view count' thing on the sidebar of your stories- so it would be great if you could drop some words on what you liked, didn't like, what worked, what was awful, anything. Thanks, all. Second-to-last chapter ahoy.*

[]

"Where are we?"

[A memory.]

"No, I mean..." Fell rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly. "This is the Tin Tower, isn't it?"

They were in a dark room, with a giant metal pillar in the center. Wooden planks in neat rows stretched across the floor, leading to imposing Pokemon statues and faded tapestries on the walls. Mew was floating serenely near Fell.

Crystal, looking slightly younger, was standing between the pillar and the entrance, nervously holding a glass bell out in front of her.

[I think you should know this story.]

She swung the bell gently, letting the clapper echo against the transparent sides once. The high, clear note seemed to hover in the air as it gradually faded.

[You have heard of the Legendary Pokemon, of course.]

A flash of light, a loud roar, and suddenly Suicune was standing before Crystal. The Legendary Pokemon dipped its head, seeming eager to begin the battle.

"It's you," whispered Fell. Mew nodded, bobbing quietly as they watched the scene before them.

Crystal smiled, reaching for a Poke Ball. Meganium appeared, shaking its head back and forth and growling in anticipation of battle.

As the Grass Pokemon charged towards Suicune, the images began to accelerate. Crystal's commands, the Meganium's attacks, and the Suicune's actions were all happening far too quickly. Fell turned to Mew, but the Psychic cut him off. [When you humans began training Pokemon, we had to implement a-] he paused, searching for the right word. [A plan.]

In a few seconds, Meganium fainted; Politoed emerged, trying to meet Suicune's water-based attacks with his own.

[You know of the stories, of course. The fabled, magnificent beasts, hiding away in caves or mountains...]

Suicune was running in patterns, confounding Crystal's Pokemon until the Politoed couldn't focus an attack, and the Legendary finally dashed in to use a Headbutt attack.

[None of us has ever been caught by a Trainer, but still you try.]

The Politoed collapsed, leading Crystal to send out her Ursaring.

[Some of the more violent fighters among us wanted to unleash our full power. To destroy any Trainers foolish enough to challenge us.]

A barrage of Hydro Pump attacks pinned the Ursaring to the tower's wall, but he continued straining forward, trying to reach Suicune.

[Others simply wanted to be left alone.]

Fell blinked, and Crystal was already choosing her next Pokemon; Delibird was flying forward, trying to attack from the air.

[So long ago, I proposed an idea.]

Blasts of freezing wind flew through the room, and the rapid progression of the scene led to Crystal desperately throwing yet another Ball. An Arcanine, nervously eyeing the Water type, growled and spat several Embers.

[We would retreat to secluded, sacred places, difficult to reach.]

A deluge of water crashed into Crystal's Pokemon; however, he bravely attacked with an Extremespeed, darting towards Suicune.

[And whenever a human approached, seeking a battle with a Legendary Pokemon...] Mew closed his eyes, dropping his head. To Fell, he almost seemed... ashamed. [I would give them one.]

Fell's eyes went wide as he watched the Arcanine tumble to the ground. "All the Trainers," he said quietly. "They're believing a lie. Are... are you saying that no one has ever really encountered a Legendary?"

Still not opening his eyes, Mew nodded. "And if- if you were in danger," Fell went on, voice rising. "You could simply Teleport away before they tried to catch you."

Graveler barely had time to use a single Rollout before he was engulfed by a Surf attack, the waves colliding with his body before draining out of the room. Shaking, Crystal recalled her final fainted Pokemon, staring at Suicune.

[You must understand. I do not wish anyone- Pokemon or human- to lose their life.] The Aurora Pokemon strode forward, red eyes glinting as they stared down at the defeated Trainer.

[You keep your safety, your legends, your dreams. If I must lie to give these things to you, then so be it.] Suicune came to a halt, leaning down until its face was nearly touching Crystal's. She didn't flinch, but gazed back up at the Pokemon.

Fell ran his hand through his hair, trying to process it all. "So... why did you go with her?"

As if on cue, the image vanished completely. Startled, Fell inadvertently jumped, landing on soft grass. Tall, verdant trees rose up from both sides of the dirt path before them; in the distance, a few buildings could barely be seen.

Near the edge of the forest, several yards from the trail, a man in a white coat was kneeling, writing something down as he watched a Wurmple slowly crawl along a low branch. [There is another role that I choose to play,] said Mew, again floating beside Fell.

Two young children- a boy wearing a faded white cap and a girl with a bright green bandana- were bounding down the path, laughing and chasing one another.

[Think back to recent events,] Mew said quietly. The two were about to pass by the man, who had straightened and was examining his notes. [Young Trainers have risen to the top of every region's League in record time; they have fought against hardened criminals, taking on entire syndicates and succeeding.]

A pink blur appeared above the trees, streaking downward to land just inside the forest's edge. Fell turned back to the three people in the vision, but from their viewpoint, they couldn't see it.

Mew turned as well, focusing his gaze on the boy and girl. [They are children, Fell. Strong, kindhearted, intelligent, but still children.]

A large Zigzagoon burst from the trees, scampering towards the man while chattering fiercely. [They, too, are part of the plan.]

The frightened man tripped as he tried to hurry away from the Pokemon. Just as the two heard the noise and began to run towards him, he pointed off to one side.

A bag was lying in the grass, the cover draped over the back. Three Poke Balls were visible, gleaming in the sunlight.

Fell spun to face Mew, but the memory was already fading. "There's-"

[]

"-no way," Fell sputtered. "You're not- no, you're lying."

Mew looked up, ignoring the rain falling on his face. [Why would I lie?]

With a start, Fell realized the rain of this vision wasn't landing on him either. They were floating above crashing waves, suspended in a torrential downpour while lightning flickered above. Occasionally, bursts of harsh, unnatural sunlight would break away the dark clouds, lending an eerie light to the scene. "I don't know, but-" His words trailed off, and he could only stare.

A monster was standing in the water, on a raised stone platform. The bright red creature was covered in spines, and its golden eyes shone dangerously as it raised its claws and roared to the sky. [Groudon,] Mew said simply.

Some distance away, the water itself had been raised in a sort of dome, so that a thin sheet of liquid covered the hulking form of another Pokemon. The Kyogre was barely visible, but Fell could see how incredibly massive the beast was, as well as the fury in its expression. Two great fins, almost wings, extended out just underneath the surface, and crimson lines traced intricate patterns all over the Legendary's white and blue form.

Finding his voice, Fell pointed out at the two foes. "You're not here, are you?" he asked. "You wouldn't start this fight, so why are we seeing it?"

[I ended it.]

In an instant, the rain lessened, and the dark clouds became lighter. [Too many coincidences, Fell.] A brilliant green light was beginning to shine, drawing the attention of the two creatures below. [You must believe me.]

With a screeching cry, another Pokemon broke through the clouds, circling above Groudon and Kyogre. "At the exact moment he was needed," mumbled Fell.

Rayquaza soared, letting the natural sunlight reflect off of its elongated body as the storm faded. [Not every Legendary Pokemon agreed with the idea, of course.] Groudon stared up at the sky, while Kyogre closed its eyes and began to sink back below the waves. [So we were forced to improvise. Rayquaza did not wish to end this quarrel.]

Fell could suddenly picture the Dragon, peacefully sleeping in its lair, unburdened by any problems or cares. "So you took his place."

[Yes.] In the sky, the image of the Rayquaza smiled. [Do you understand, Fell?]

He said nothing, only staring at his reflection in the now-calm waves below. [The world is becoming more dangerous, and more unpredictable. I keep the humans safe from the Legendary Pokemon, and I try to keep Pokemon safe from humans.]

"From... humans?" Fell repeated, confused. Mew nodded, and the memory vanished once again.

In the conference room of a grand hotel, three disguised men sat at an ornate table and listened to a fourth speak.

Fell's breath caught in his throat. [These criminals, these 'teams',] Mew began, [do not wish to simply gain. They want to control. You know this.]

For a second, Fell wanted to object, but he knew the Pokemon's simple words were true. [Listen to me. I _cannot_ allow that to happen.]

Watching the scene play out a second time, Fell could see the hungry look in the leaders' eyes, as well as the foolishness and arrogance in his own. "Then," he muttered, "You raised up Trainers to stop them."

[Yes. When I defeated Crystal, I could tell that she was strong. She treated her Pokemon with care, and was eager to right the world's wrongs. So, as Suicune, I decided to help her defeat Team Rocket's revival.] As the Psychic spoke, the scene faded once again.

A tall young man, black hair sticking out from underneath a red baseball cap, was standing outside a Pokemon Gym. He sat down heavily, sighing as he rested against the building's side. An Ivysaur nuzzled his leg, looking up at him in worry.

He gave a sad smile, scratching his Pokemon's ear. The scene zoomed in, allowing Fell to hear what the Trainer was saying. "...sorry, bud. We'll get 'em next time."

[Others, I knew from an earlier time would need my help.] The youth flinched as Mew appeared before him, wrinkling his pink nose and tilting his head curiously.

The scenery was replaced again, this time by a remote forest. The boy excitedly called out commands to his Ivysaur as well as a Pikachu, while the two Pokemon focused their attacks against a Beedrill.

Now a Nidoking. A Raichu. A Hitmonchan. The opponent rapidly Transformed, and the Trainer was forced to adapt his strategy constantly.

"You trained them all like this?" Fell asked. Mew nodded, fondly watching the Trainer as the boy quickly tried to think of his next move.

"No wonder he was so strong." Fell shook his head, at once amazed and unsettled by the information. "So... what? They played their part, did your job to save the world, and in return you cheated the system so they would win the League? Get a chance to be famous?"

Mew was quiet for a moment. [I do not think it was cheating. Trainers gain experience from Pokemon every day. And as for fame-] He paused as the vision shifted, revealing the boy in the white hat standing atop the Hoenn Champion's stage, beaming and waving as cameras flashed and reporters shoved microphones in front of him. [Only if that is what they wanted.]

A brief series of images flashed around Fell. The first was nearly identical to the previous scene, but the black-haired young man was hesitantly pushing a microphone aside, walking towards a stairway as a Venusaur followed behind him.

The small, sturdy buildings of Pallet Town appeared, and the youth was standing on the front porch of a simple, two-story house. The door opened, and a woman leaned out, face lighting up in joy when she saw him. [He asked me to create a new plan.]

Just before he followed her into the house, an exact image of himself appeared behind him. The duplicate nodded once, and the young man reached to his belt, giving the other his Pokemon. [He did not wish fame to follow him always.]

Snow was whipping through the air, and it was difficult to see the peak of the mountain. Another boy, wearing a gold and black hat turned backwards, was slowly climbing up the frozen slope. Once he reached the top, he selected a Ball from his belt. [We knew that Trainers very rarely succeed in climbing Mt. Silver.]

The black-haired boy was also here, red cap pulled low over his eyes. [Since he had gone along with my ideas to stop Team Rocket's first assault, I agreed to help him.]

He didn't say a word. He only smiled. [Red and I constructed a legend of our own.]

The falling grew more frenzied, finally obscuring both Trainers from view completely. Fell stretched out his hand, but the memory didn't respond; the snow simply kept falling. "If the League knew about this..." he said with a small smile.

[There are reasons I have kept my work a secret.]

"Then-" Fell turned back to Mew. "Why me? Why tell me all this?"

Faraway Island appeared before them once more. Fell blinked, stretching as he looked around the island. Time must have passed; it was evening, while it had been the middle of the day before, and the twilight gave the island a strange, pale light.

[Because, Fell,] Mew said quietly. Fell turned to see the Psychic floating before him, but this time, Mew was looking off to the side. Fell followed his gaze. [You were the next Trainer I had chosen.]

It was another memory. The image of Mew was there, eyes wide, as he stared at a younger version of Fell. Just behind him was Cooper; the boy had brown hair, longer than Fell's, and dark blue eyes. He was nervously glancing from side to side, while the image of Fell watched the Mew in wonder.

[Transform is, all in all, a Pokemon move.] The past Mew recoiled from them, glaring angrily. [When used as I did that day, it can miss.] The younger Fell took a tentative step forward, but his eyes widened when he saw Mew rearing back, as if preparing to dash forward.

Even though he had lived through it, Fell couldn't look away from what was happening. "What are you saying?" he asked in a high voice.

[It was meant for you, Fell.] The Mew-memory threw his hands forward, and a burst of light flew towards the two boys.

Fell watched the younger version of himself grab Cooper's arm and try to escape to the side. When he pulled Cooper, there was an instant when his younger brother was in the space where Fell had just been. At that moment, the flash of energy made contact.

[]

Fell stumbled backwards, clutching his head while a brief headache brought on by the memories subsided.

[I told you there were two reasons,] Mew said softly, watching him. Fell groaned and looked up, seeing the island just as it had been before the visions.

[I was truly afraid, but... I was also desperate. My plans were failing; the Trainers I chose had not stopped the villainy in the world.] Fell gradually stood up straighter, focusing more on Mew's words. [And it was only growing worse. Evil humans and arrogant Legendary Pokemon alike were putting everyone into greater danger.]

The roars of Groudon and Kyogre echoed in Fell's mind, along with the grinning faces of Archie and Maxie. [I thought that we needed a new hero; one who fully understood Pokemon and humans.]

Fell tried not to look at the center of the field, where he and Cooper had met Mew. [When you came along, I saw an opportunity.]

Another faint breeze sprang up, and the trees at the edge of the field rustled quietly. Mew was simply floating before him, as if expecting something.

Silence reigned for some time. Struggling to find the right words, Fell finally said, "You've lied. To everyone."

Mew didn't answer. "The Legendary Pokemon are an illusion. A dream for people to chase, but they can't ever catch one, can they?" He took a breath, going on. "And the League Champions- those brave kids, stopping terrorists- they've always been a trick, too. I can't believe it."

[Have I not shown you?]

"I don't care!" Fell suddenly shouted. "I don't care that you think this is all to save the world! You're lying and manipulating people, and it's hurting them! It hurt my brother, and he wasn't even supposed to be a part of this!"

[I know, and I am sorry-]

"Stop it." Fell closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No more. Just- I'm sick of explanations, and all these little plans, and hearing how your schemes were supposed to play out. You're no better than the Rockets."

[Neither are you.]

Fell was stunned. He hadn't expected Mew to agree so quickly, but reversing the accusation was even more strange. "How?" he demanded.

[You're right. I set plans into motion, and I deceived many. You did the same.]

"That- that was-" Stammering, Fell tried to breathe deeply, holding his head again. "It was for Cooper."

[I did what I did for _all_ of you.] Mew was suddenly much closer to Fell, his eyes flashing dangerously. [The balance between Pokemon and humans, Trainers and legends is much more delicate than you may believe. My role is to keep it from falling apart.]

Shrinking back, Fell looked down. With a sigh, Mew floated a small distance away, once again looking out over the ocean. [This is a lie that cannot be resolved.]

The sun slipped behind a thin cloud. A Wingull lazily soared over the island, coming to rest on the branch of one of the small forest's trees.

"I have to get back," Fell whispered.

The Psychic turned, facing him with an odd expression. [Why?]

"Because even though you've made mistakes, so have I." He looked up. "I brought the bosses together. I drove my brother away; I hurt him. I lied." Taking a deep breath, he looked Mew in the eye. "And maybe you can't make up for your mistakes, but I can fix mine."

Mew drifted closer, twitching his nose. "So I have to ask you. I can't threaten you, or bribe you, or try to make some kind of deal. I don't even have a plan this time." Fell's voice shook a bit on the word 'plan', but he ignored it. "Will you take me back?"

The wind of Faraway Island gently carried Mew forward, and he simply looked at Fell without any obvious emotion, considering the request.

[Teleport.]


	15. Restorations

Arcanine growled, swinging his maned head to slam into his target. A squealing Raticate was thrown into the air, where it landed beside a Muk, slowly oozing forward.

"Protect!" Crystal yelled. The Fire Pokemon planted his forelegs firmly, eyes glinting as a translucent wall of energy appeared in front of him.

Crystal quickly glanced around her. With Mew gone, the group of mainly Rockets had begun using any Pokemon to fight, instead of just Dark types. Her Pokemon were making their stand around the discarded pile of items and empty Poke Balls. Ursaring was grappling with a burly Machoke, while Meganium was desperately trying to fend off a slithering Arbok with Grass attacks. Sableye was fighting as well, though ignoring the others; Fell's Pokemon hissed and slashed at a Weezing, which in return loosed clouds of noxious gas. The other three- Delibird, Politoed, and Graveler- had retreated to the wall, where they collapsed, trying to regain energy.

She turned back to Arcanine, who was panting behind the Protect wall- but it didn't extend far enough to guard them all. "Ring, 'Ganium," she called. "Same thing."

The two fighters lumbered back a few steps, before the Ursaring raised both arms and another shield formed. The flower petals around the Grass starter's neck ruffled, and the same Protect energy materialized in front of her. Now the shield ran in a semicircle, running against the cave wall on both ends, and the attacking Pokemon were completely blocked.

Crystal sighed in relief. "Should buy some time." She knelt down, rummaging through the scattered items. A Hyper Potion was enough to help Delibird, and the Ice Pokemon was soon chirping happily while waddling over to check on the others. Graveler seemed to be in worse condition; he wasn't visibly injured, but his rocky face was grimacing in pain.

"Poison," Crystal muttered, turning back to the Items. A few Super Potions, another Hyper Potion, even a Revive... but nothing for status problems.

Something bumped into her back, and she looked over her shoulder to see Meganium, antennae drooping and wearing a worried expression. "What's wrong, girl?" she asked quietly. The Pokemon stretched her neck to point towards towards Cooper, huddled at the base of the wall and shivering. The Pichu was next to him, looking up at the Kadabra and squeaking worriedly.

Crystal bit her lip. "He's just scared, I bet," she insisted. "We can't help'im 'till Fell gets back." The Meganium shook her head, growling in frustration. "That's not whatcha meant?"

The Grass Pokemon frowned, glancing towards Sableye and making a barking sound. Fell's Pokemon approached, crystal eyes darting between Crystal and the Meganium as it listened to her instruction. Then, he used a lightning-quick Faint Attack, vanishing and reappearing a few feet away.

She looked back to the Kadabra. "What- jus' Teleport out?" Meganium nodded vigorously. Crystal sighed in annoyance. "Give up? Naw, come on, guys! We can take'em! Besides, if we don't stop'em here, they'll just get away!"

The Meganium seemed to look past Crystal, and she turned as well. Politoed was sitting down, wincing, while one webbed hand covered the swirling pattern on his stomach.

Coming closer, Crystal realized that the Frog Pokemon was hurt beyond the aid of a simple healing item. A shallow, yet wide gash was stretched across Politoed's belly. "Oh no..." she murmured, looking up as she heard a whimper of pain from her Ursaring.

He was still standing, looking through the barrier of Protect towards the enemy Pokemon. "Ring?" Crystal called gently, and the Normal type turned to face her. The fur on his chest was dark and burned, probably from a Houndoom's attack.

Crystal gasped. Meganium's sorrowful expression seemed to bring all her thoughts together, and she bowed her head. "You're right. You're right, we gotta get outta here."

Cooper was still curled up, leaning against the stone, when Crystal approached him. "Hey... Cooper?" she asked quietly. "Can you use Teleport for everyone?"

The Kadabra swung his head up, wild-eyed, and a rush of disjointed thoughts and words filled Crystal's mind. She shook her head, trying to focus, but it was no use. "Sorry. Guess you can't talk to me, huh? Just Fell."

She'd said his name casually, but Cooper seemed to latch it, leaning forward and staring up at her with hopeful eyes. "No, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't know where he is."

He squeezed his eyes shut, falling back and resting against the cave wall again. "But don't worry!" Crystal added, trying to sound confident. "He's with Mew, so I'm sure he's fine!"

Cooper didn't respond. "But I really gotta know." She knelt down, watching him for any affirmation. "Can we Teleport out?"

He shook his head, pointing with the spoon outside the Protect wall. Following the gesture, Crystal saw a Golbat, flying back and forth between the two main groups of fighting Pokemon, but always with a fixed stare on Cooper. "Mean Look," Crystal groaned. "S'always Mean Look."

She stood, taking stock of the situation. "K. So we can't leave, an' we don't know when Mew's comin' back," she mused. "An' the Protect won't last much longer, an' those Rockets aren't goin' anywhere-"

She stopped. It suddenly occurred to her that there might be no way out of this. Dozens of Pokemon- Rocket, Magma, and Aqua- were still pacing outside the semicircle, waiting to attack. Crystal looked around at her team, mostly exhausted from battle. _Can't fix that with an item_, she thought.

The Sableye was tugging at her leg, gazing up with a questioning expression. She smiled, blinking quickly. "I don't really know what we're gonna do." Crystal sat down, coming closer to Sableye's eye level. "Thanks, though."

Tilting his head, the Ghost kept staring at her, now even more confused. Crystal faced forward again. "You saved Mew. She- well, _he_, I guess- was travelin' with me for a while, and..." She sniffed. "I'm just glad he's gonna be okay."

On her other side, Cooper shivered, dropping his head into his arms. Crystal swiftly wiped her arm across her eyes. "We're gonna be fine," she said softly. "Just fine." The slight shaking in her voice betrayed her words.

The Protect was fading, the translucent energy growing fainter. A Houndoom excitedly slashed at the barrier with its front paws, leering at the Pokemon inside.

Crystal breathed deeply. "Better get ready to-" her voice trailed off as she spotted something across the cavern. The burst of hopeful thoughts in her mind told her that Cooper had seen it, too.

Fell was being dragged along the floor by a Rocket grunt, hands tied behind his back.

[]

One of the Magma admins crossed his arms, gazing at the Protect-shield with a dark look in his eyes. "Sir," he said slowly, "Is it really necessary to continue this fight? Without Mew, the girl is not-"

"Of course!" Giovanni barked. "Fell's Pokemon are still here. He would never leave them behind; if we keep them in danger, Mew might be forced to bring him back." He tensed his hand, fingers closing in a fist around the tracking device. "And if not," he hissed, "That Ghost is the reason Mew escaped. The girl derailed our plans in Johto. They're simply... how did Archie put it?" He nodded. "Ah, yes. 'Loose ends'."

The Magma was quiet for a moment. "Then it's revenge?" The deep red hood was difficult to see in the cave's darkness.

He smiled. "Indeed."

"But Mew is the main objective, correct? Shouldn't we begin the search again?"

A slight scowl darkened the Rocket Boss's features. "Well... yes. But this infernal device-" he shook the scanner in disgust. "The lock on Mew's genetic signature is completely lost whenever the beast uses Teleport. For now, we wait."

The admin nodded. "Understood." He scowled, looking past Giovanni. "Sir?"

Giovanni turned in the direction of the cave entrance, a blank look on his face. "Well, then." He began striding forward. "What have we here?"

The grunt unceremoniously threw Fell in front of Giovanni, who nodded in his direction. "Good work."

The Rocket said nothing, but used his foot to shove the Trainer forward along the ground. Coughing, Fell shifted onto his knees as the Rocket leader bent down. "That was an impressive escape, Trainer." He smiled, glancing towards Crystal and the others. "Didn't do much good, though."

Fell grimaced, seeing the situation. "Don't- don't hurt them," he muttered. "Please."

Giovanni tilted his head, considering the request. "Fine." Fell's surprised look made him chuckle. "I'm tired, Fell. I simply want to end this. So tell me-" He leaned in closer, eyes shining. "Where is Mew?"

A number of other Rockets had gathered around. Fell looked around, inspecting the crowd, then turned back to Giovanni. "I'll tell you," he said quickly. "But I want the others here. The Hoenn leaders."

"Why?"

Fell coughed again. "Just- humor me." A small smile touched at his mouth. "The four of us, another grand reveal; the last big plan. Just like I imagined it. After all-" He weakly waved his hand, gesturing to the cave at large. "-I started all this."

Giovanni raised his eyebrows. "That you did, Trainer." He stood up, beckoning to a few Aqua grunts. "Bring them here."

Once Maxie and Archie had arrived, Fell slowly got to his feet, backing up so that he could see all three of the Bosses at once. "You won't believe me."

"Less wastin' time, boy," Archie drawled. "Jus' tell us. Where's he at?"

Beep.

Fell winked. "He's here."

The silent Grunt lunged forward, grabbing Maxie's shoulder. Briefly touching Archie's wrist, he collided into Giovanni with his own shoulder. [Teleport.]

The Rocket leader had time to take a single step back before the move went into effect. There was no loud noise, or flash of light- the Hoenn bosses simply vanished.

The cavern was completely silent. Giovanni had fallen backwards, and was now staring up at Fell in shock.

He placed a hand on the stone wall, steadying himself. "It's over," he said loudly, but his eyes were focused on the Rocket boss. "Mew's not coming back."

The Magma admin had stepped forward, giving Giovanni a questioning look, but Fell continued. "There's nothing you can gain here. You..." He closed his eyes. "_We_ failed."

Giovanni rose, trembling in anger. "I won't accept that," he said in a low voice. An Ultra Ball was suddenly in his hand.

Fell tried not to let his fear show. "Who will you fight?" he sneered. "The plan's ruined. Attacking us won't help."

"Oh, it will." He was twitching now, eyes wide as he seemed to stare past Fell. "You can... talk to Mew, can't you?"

He cast the capsule to the ground, and a Nidoking sprang forward. The Pokemon growled, showing its fangs in the semi-darkness, and its narrow eyes gleamed with rage.

A murmur was spreading among the other Rockets, and the same worry began to appear in Fell's mind. "That's not how it works," he said nervously. "Mew doesn't-"

Giovanni turned, pointing towards Crystal and the huddled Pokemon behind the Protect. "He can't Teleport out." Fell could see Cooper, crouching low to the ground and looking up miserably at a leering Golbat. "So if Mew doesn't come back," the Rocket continued, voice rising in pitch. "Then we're stuck here, aren't we?"

"Sir?" The Magma had stepped forward, both hands raised. "Sir, I don't think-"

The Nidoking took one step, crashing its clawed foot to the ground as it lunged its head forward and roared, razor-sharp horn only inches from the admin's head. The beast's cry echoed around the cavern, causing more than one Pokemon to tremble and hide behind their Trainer. "If you're in danger," Giovanni called, as if nothing had happened, "Then Mew will return. If Mew returns, we can kill it."

Fell glanced back at Cooper and Crystal. Mew should've been able to take the Hoenn bosses to the police station by now; what was taking him so long to get back? "And what if he doesn't?" he shouted with a confidence he didn't feel.

Giovanni smiled, a wide, gaping grin that didn't seem quite right. "Then we will all die."

He turned to the Nidoking. "Earthquake."

The Poison type threw back its head, roaring, before it brought both powerful arms crashing down onto the cavern floor. The tremors shook the walls briefly, but subsided; the gathered Rockets and Hoenn team members glanced around in worry, some recalling their Pokemon.

The Magma admin refused to back down. "This is insane!" he shouted. "Call off the attack!"

Giovanni pointed to Fell, arm shaking as he began to laugh. "Tell him!" he shrieked. "Tell Mew to come back and save us!"

Fell stared in horror as the Nidoking continued its attack, slamming its fists into the ground repeatedly. Rocks and chunks of earth were beginning to fall to the cavern's floor, raising clouds of dust that further darkened the room. "Mew can't hear me!" he screamed, hoping the bluff would convince Giovanni. "He's too far away!"

Both arms raised to the sky, Giovanni smiled upwards. "Then you were right, Fell. It really is over."

A stalactite crashed to the ground, completely blocking the Rocket boss from Fell's view. Coughing on the dust, he stumbled around the boulder, trying desperately to see anything in the chaos. Dark forms were running past; most likely the Rockets and others, searching for a way out.

[Fell! Fell, where are you?!]

He turned, but every direction was quickly becoming the same blur of darkness. "I'm here!" he called.

[The Golbat got hit! I can Teleport out, but- I can't find you!]

Fell vainly reached out, hoping to encounter a wall, or something he could use to find his way. "I don't know, Kip," he shouted, but his voice was growing hoarse. "I can't- can't tell where I am."

A rush of images appeared in his mind; Cooper was straining, pushing forward in the gloom. Crystal had a hand on his elbow, dragging him towards the entrance. [No! Stop, we can't- he's still trapped! Fell! FELL!]

Something rammed into his back, knocking him to the ground. Fell tried to stand, but the weight on his spine was pinning him down. "Sorry, Kip," he whispered. "She can't hear you, remember?"

[NO! Let me go! I can save him!]

"...Just me." He closed his eyes against the dust. "I... I can hear you."

[Fell! Just wait, I- I'll find you!]

The object shifted, pressing down into his back. Fell gritted his teeth, trying not to cry out in pain. "It's... gonna be okay," he breathed. "I fixed the mistakes."

There was no response. Cooper could have moved too far away, or maybe... Fell blinked. Maybe Crystal could have returned him? She did have the Poke Balls, after all...

He could hear his own breathing, strangely loud in the quiet aftermath of the Earthquake. The dust was settling in, choking him, but he didn't have the strength to cough it out.

Either way, they were both safe. And that... he tried to focus, but it was becoming more and more difficult.

They were safe, and that was what mattered. He'd fixed the mistakes.

Just before he passed out, Fell thought he could see a blue wing, somehow shining without light. Brilliant ice-blue feathers, sweeping towards him in the darkness.

"Mew..."

[]

He was gradually aware of light, brightening his eyelids.

"Fell? Can'ya hear me?"

He slowly opened his eyes, wincing against both the harsh sunlight and the pain in his torso. Fell tried to roll over, to see anything but the blue sky, but he couldn't move himself without a burning sensation spreading across his chest and back.

[Do not attempt to move too quickly,] Mew's voice said. [Let me help you.]

He was being lifted, levitating as he slowly drifted backwards. Fell flinched as the psychic energy gently set him against what felt like a sandy hill. He could see the ocean, stretching out for miles... White waves were breaking against the shore, as well as out in the distance.

The beach was vastly different from the secluded area in Cinnabar. White, fine sand covered the thin stretch of land that rose up into Faraway Island's cliffs, and eventually, the forested center. Crystal was crouching near him, breaking into a smile when she saw he was awake. Mew was floating slightly farther away, but had the same look of relief.

[Fell!] Suddenly, his vision was blocked again, as Cooper had appeared on his chest and was now hugging his neck with ferocity. The thin arms encircling his shoulders were shaking, and the Kadabra's face was buried in his chest, where he was now sobbing. No coherent words were appearing in Fell's mind, but the sense of joy and desperation was enough to convey what Cooper was trying to say.

"It's okay, Kip," he rasped, surprised to find tears in his own eyes. He tried to say more, but couldn't; he simply rested his head above his brother's, letting him cry.

[I'm sorry I ran away.]

The words were unexpected, and Fell painfully craned his neck back, looking down at Cooper. "Me too," he said gently. "Why... why _did_ you run?"

Cooper stepped onto the sand, looking down. [I was trying to get to Saffron faster,] he spoke slowly. [I thought if I could Teleport there, you'd be-] The psychic words paused. [Proud.]

A small part of Fell was grateful that Crystal and Mew seemed to sense the personal nature of the conversation, and had moved down the beach. "You... you think I'm not proud of you?" he asked quietly.

Cooper shook his head, sniffing. [I just didn't want to keep letting you down.] A series of images flickered in Fell's mind. A Pokemon Center, where a boy was shouting at his Pokemon. A cruise ship, where a Kadabra was admitting he couldn't understand why a disguised man seemed secretive.

An island, where two brothers were running away from a mysterious attack.

The tears threatened to come back, and Fell swallowed. "Kip," he said with a sad smile. "If anything, I'm the one who let you down."

Cooper looked up. [You... you're not mad because I'm a Pokemon?]

Fell could swear his heart stopped beating. His throat felt like it had closed completely, and he could only bring his hands to his eyes, shielding his face from his brother.

When he finally found his voice, he dropped his hands. "No," he said softly. "No, I'm not." He squeezed his eyes tight, and felt the tears start to come again. "And Kip... I'm so sorry that I ever made you think that."

Cooper nodded, wiping at his own eyes. They waited in silence for a while, simply being near each other, until Mew and Crystal approached.

"Ya feel alright?" Crystal asked cheerfully. Fell grimaced, trying to sit up straighter.

"Never better," he said with a small grin. Turning to Mew, he added, "Thanks, by the way."

The Psychic tilted his head in the familiar gesture of confusion, and Fell continued. "For saving me, I mean. I think I almost..." Glancing at Cooper, he let the thought trail off.

[Fell...] Mew frowned. [I found you on the shore of Seafoam. I did not take you from the cave itself.]

"What?" Fell shook his head. "No, that doesn't-" He stopped. "Articuno."

Mew was silent. "Articuno saved me," Fell said with growing excitement. "He lives in the Islands, doesn't he? Or she, I guess."

[Why would Articuno choose to help you?]

Fell let his head fall back against the sand dune. "I don't know. But you were so concerned about the balance between humans and Legendary Pokemon; maybe you underestimated both of us."

Crystal frowned, turning to the floating Psychic. "Reminds me- how come ya didn't come back to help us?"

[I knew that you, Cooper, and the Pokemon would survive. Had you been closer to death, I would have saved you.] Mew made a point of looking directly at Crystal.

The subtlety was lost on her. "What about'im?" she asked incredulously, jabbing a finger in Fell's direction.

Fell sighed. "I think I get it. You weren't going to help me because I didn't deserve it." Crystal scoffed, but Mew simply nodded. "You're right. I've done a lot of awful things, and I nearly got you killed. I can't justify that."

He glanced up at the sky, remembering that blue wing, shining in the darkness. "But for some reason... Articuno decided to help me. Not because of anything I did, but maybe in spite of it. Maybe some Legendaries aren't worried about what we've done, right or wrong. They just want to protect us."

[It is... possible. I have not discussed this with my brethren of late.]

Fell smiled. "Something to think about, anyway." He looked back at Mew. "Are my Pokemon here?"

Mew looked surprised at the shift in tone, but Crystal beamed, holding up two Poke Balls. "Yeah! I almost forgot!" Sableye appeared on the beach, staring up at Fell in shock, while Pichu squealed and leaped into Cooper's arms.

Grinning, Fell flicked one of Sableye's ears. "Thanks. You pretty much saved everybody." The Ghost seemed to scowl, crossing his arms and turning away from the praise in embarrassment.

"Well?" Crystal looked from each Pokemon to Fell, eyebrows raised. "What now?"

Fell took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in his midsection. "Mew... you said something about how, if the hero you choose helps you, you'll give them whatever they want?"

The Psychic stared at Fell, unblinking. [Not in this case. You actively led criminals to fight against me; that is not even thinking of all the other-]

"Not me." Fell glanced back to Cooper, who was fondly letting Pichu climb up on his head. "Him."

Mew paused, curling his tail in thought. [...I suppose he did receive the designation meant for you.]

"Exactly. And he didn't do anything wrong." With a slight smile, Fell turned to Mew. "He's a better Red than I could ever be."

For a moment, the ocean breeze's blowing was the only noise on the beach. Mew hesitantly faced the Kadabra. [Cooper- do you want to be a human again?]

Looking up, startled, Cooper blinked repeatedly. [W-what? Really?]

[It must be your decision,] Mew said gently. [But if that is what you want, I will grant it.]

He swallowed, glancing between the Psychic and Fell. He flipped the spoon in his hand, twirling it between his fingers and catching it each time.

Finally, he looked back to Mew with determination. [Yeah.]

The Legendary smiled. [So be it.] A faint white light began to shine from his paws, and Mew swiftly brought his arms forward. The burst of energy enveloped Cooper, becoming even brighter.

When it faded, a young boy was standing on the beach, though a few years older than the Cooper of the memory. He blinked his dark blue eyes, reaching up to feel his face and run his hands through the brown hair that drooped past his ears.

Cooper looked down at his outfit, a simple red shirt and jeans. Smiling, he turned to Mew. "Giving me clothes was pretty thoughtful."

Fell grinned widely, trying not to cry. "That's the first thing you say as a person again?"

Laughing, Cooper darted to his brother, hugging him again as tears fell for both of them.

[]

Pallet Town was peaceful at night. A few buildings shone yellow light into the streets and meadows, but the moon was enough to illuminate most of the town.

Fell stood at the window of one of the Pokemon Center's rooms, looking out at the rest of the city. Cooper was already asleep, curled up in one of the room's twin beds.

[What will you do now?] Mew was floating near the ceiling, turning in somersaults as he spoke.

He shrugged. "Not sure. Guess I could try the whole Trainer circuit again- I still have Sableye, after all. Might even run into Crystal again." Glancing back to his brother, he added, "Or maybe we'll just take some time off."

[Do you hate me for what happened?]

Fell paused. "I think... that would be more than a little hypocritical." Leaning his back against the windowsill, he crossed his arms. "Back when I said you were just as bad as the Rockets... that was out of line. I shouldn't have gone that far. But the weird thing is..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Maybe it wasn't too far off. I mean, I had plans, you had plans, the Teams had plans..."

[Perhaps this world has seen all the plans it needs to.]

"Yeah." Cooper shifted in his sleep, clutching a pillow to his chest. "Although, it all turned out okay, didn't it? Sure, most of the Rockets got away, but you can always round them up if you need to, right?"

Mew drifted to a stop. [Perhaps. But as you may have guessed, I prefer not to fight, myself. And I think my previous view of this world may have been too simple.] He lazily floated down to the window, resting next to Fell, to stare out at the night sky. [I cannot control all of the good and evil in this world, and I should not try. But I have a role to play, and it is worth it to continue on. To keep working. That is... right, I think.]

"And what about you?" Fell turned. "Are you gonna keep training up kids to fight your battles?"

[Do you believe it is the right thing to do?]

"Honestly, I don't know." He sighed, tapping his fingers on the windowpane. "There's just too many angles to see it from. It was easier when I thought everything could just fit into a plan."

[It seems that what is easy is not always the best, I think.]

Fell smiled. "Yeah."

[]

**Wow. This is it, huh- I finally finished my first real, personal, challenging, frustrating, multi-chaptered fic on this site. It's a weird feeling; I'm kinda sad it's over, but excited that I can move on to other projects.**

**Any and all reviews are greatly appreciated. Seriously, anything; even if you just wanna flame this story, that's fine. I do not mind. But really, if there's anything in the story that didn't make sense, any out-of-character moment, or even a dumb spelling mistake, don't hesitate to let me know. **

**Thanks so much for reading! I hope you liked it.**

**The absolute beginning of this story started to develop when I read this:**

**Pokemon FireRed Pokedex entry #064 (Kadabra)-  
**

**It happened one morning - a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed transformed into Kadabra. **


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